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THROUGH  •  THE  ■  BIBLE    • 


GENESIS 


WILLIAM  EVANS 


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The  Book  of  Genesis 


By 
William  Evans,  D.D. 


Epochs  in  the  Life  of  Christ. 

By  the  Associate  Dean  of  Bible  Institute,  Los 

Angeles,      izmo,  cloth      .     .     net,  ^i.oo. 

A  series  of  addresses,  given  on  Sunday  after- 
noon to  large  audiences,  dealing  with  the  Birth, 
Baptism,  Temptation,  Transfiguration,  Death  and 
Resurrection  of  our  Lord,  and  presenting  cogent 
and  concrete  arguments  for  their  inviolability 
and  acceptance  as  chief  among  the  tenets  of  the 
Christian  faiths.  Couched  in  popular  language 
and  presented  in  popular  style. 


THROUGH  THE  BIBLE,  BOOK  BY  BOOK 

The  Book  of  Genesis.    (^*V^;"; ''°'"'"') 

J  \       of  the  Series.      J 

izmo,  cloth net,  50c. 

"  The  practical  and  popular  expositions  of  the 
Scriptures  contained  in  this  volume  have  been 
but  slightly  altered  in  form  from  that  in  which 
they  were  delivered  to  the  audiences  constituting 
the  Popular  Bible  Classes.  The  aim  of  these  ex- 
positions was  to  popularize  Bible  study — to  make 
it  not  only  authoritative  in  teaching,  but  interest- 
ing in  presentation.  That  this  aim  has  been 
realized  is  evident  from  the  fact  that  at  seven 
o'clock  each  Friday  night,  from  one  thousand  to 
fifteen  hundred  people  have  met  together  for  this 
form  of  Bible  study." — Preface. 


THROUGH  THE  BBLE-BOOK  BY  BOOK 

THE  BOOK  OF     I  >^'^'^   ^  '^^^ 

GENESIS 


>       By 
WILLIAM  EVANS,  Ph.  D.,  D.D. 

Associate  Dean,  Bible  Institute  of  Los  Angeles,  Cal. 
Author  of  "Great  Doctrines  0/  the  Bible,"  "Personal 
Soul-  Vi'^inning,"  "How  to  Prepare  Sermons  and  Bible 
Addresses,"  "Outline  Study  of  the  Bible,"  "Book  Method 
of  Bible  Study"  "How  to  Memorize,"  "The  Christian's 
Creed  and  Conduct,"  "The  Book  of  Books"  etc. 


New  York  Chicago  Toronto 

Fleming    H.     Revell     Company 

London  and        Edinburgh 


Copyright,  191 6,  by 
FLEMING  H.  REVELL  COMPANY 


New  York:  158  Fifth  Avenue 
Chicago:  17  North  Wabash  Ave. 
Toronto:  25  Richmond  Street,  W. 
London:  21  Paternoster  Square 
Edinburgh:      100    Princes    Street 


Preface 

THE  Practical  and  Popular  Expositions  of  the 
Scriptures  contained  in  this  volume  have  been 
but  slightly  altered  in  form  from  that  in  which 
they  were  delivered  to  the  audiences  constituting  the 
Popular  Bible  Classes. 

The  aim  of  these  expositions  was  to  popularize  Bible 
study — to  make  it  not  only  authoritative  in  teaching,  but 
interesting  in  presentation.  That  this  aim  has  been 
realized  is  evident  from  the  fact  that  at  seven  o'clock 
each  Friday  night,  from  one  thousand  to  fifteen  hundred 
people  have  met  together  for  this  form  of  Bible  study. 
Why  not  start  just  such  Bible  classes  in  every  city? 
Five  hundred  enrollment  cards  (a  part  of  one  class) 
showed  the  class  to  be  composed  of  members  of  ninety 
churches,  representing  thirty  different  denominations, 
and  coming  from  suburbs  surrounding  the  large  city  in 
which  the  classes  were  held. 

W.  E. 

Los  Angeles^  Cal. 


Contents 

Introduction 9 

Synopsis IS 

PART  I 

The  History  of  the  Human  Race  as  a  Whole 

(Chapters  i.-xi.) 

I.        The    Relation  of    God    to  the  World 

(Chap,  i.) 21 

II       The   Relation   of   Man   to   God — Sinless 

AND  Sinful  (Chaps,  li.-iii.)     .         .         .         -2$ 

III.  The  Relation  of  Man  to  His  Fellowmen 

(Chaps,  iv.-v.) 34 

IV.  The   Development   of  Sin  in  the  Race — 

The  Penalty  of  Sin  (Chaps,  vii.-viii.).        .       ^y 

PART  II 

The  History  of  the  Patriarchs 

(Chapters  xii.-l.) 

I.  Abraham,   the   Father   of  the   Faithful 

(Chaps,  xii.-xxv.)         .....       47 

II.  The   History   of   Isaac    (Chaps,   xxv.  19- 

xxviii.  9,  Chap.  xxxv.).         ....       75 

III.  The    History    of  Jacob  (Chaps,  xxviii.  35  ; 

xlvi.  1-7) 84 

IV.  The  History  of  Joseph  (Chaps,  xxxvii.-l.)   .     107 

7 


Introduction 

THE  book  of  Genesis  is  the  oldest  book  in  the 
world.  It  contains  the  oldest  reliable  informa- 
tion on  the  matter  of  which  it  treats.  It  covers 
a  period  of  about  2,300  years  of  human  history — from  the 
creation  of  the  world  (yea,  even  before  the  creation,  or  re- 
formation, of  this  present  earth,  i.  1)  to  the  death  of 
Joseph  in  Egypt 

Genesis  is  the  seed  plot  of  the  whole  Bible  and  the 
groundwork  of  the  entire  revelation  as  contained  in  the 
remaining  sixty-five  books  composing  the  sacred  Scrip- 
tures. The  other  books  in  the  Bible  refer  to  the  great 
facts  which  begin  in  Genesis,  for  example,  man,  the  Sab- 
bath, marriage,  sin,  sacrifice,  worship. 

It  is  doubtless  for  this  reason  that  Genesis  has  been 
called  the  "Book  of  Beginnings."  There  is  the  begin- 
ning of  everything  but  God  in  it. 

Quotations  from  Genesis  in  other  parts  of  the  Scripture 
are  numerous.  In  the  New  Testament  alone,  it  is  said 
that  Genesis  is  referred  to  sixty  times.  Our  Lord  Him- 
self quotes  from  it  in  about  fifteen  different  places  (cf. 
Matthew  xix.  4-16 ;  xxiv.  37-39  ;  Mark  vii.  4-10  ;  x.  3-8  ; 
Luke  xi.  49-51 ;  xvii.  26-29,  32 ;  John  i.  51  ;  vii.  21-23  ; 
viii.  44-56).  May  not  this  be  the  reason — the  important 
place  of  Genesis  in  the  Scriptures — why  destructive 
higher  criticism  has  turned  its  guns  of  attack  against  this 
book  more  than  any  other  book  in  the  Bible  ?  It  prob- 
ably seems  to  them  that  if  Genesis  can  be  dethroned,  it  is 
a  comparatively  easy  matter  to  do  away  with  the  other 
books  of  the  Bible.  And  yet,  althoagh  this  book  has 
been  attackedjfor  centuries,  not  one  chapter  of  it  has  fallen. 

9 


y 


lo  The  Book  of  Genesis 

This  book  still  commences  with  the  words,  "lu  the 
begiuDiug,"  and  ends  with  Joseph's  coffin  in  Egypt. 
Geology  has  changed  its  findings,  and  science  its  con- 
clusions, again  and  again,  but  Genesis  remains  the  same. 

The  Name  of  the  Book.  The  name  Genesis  is  prob- 
ably derived  from  its  title  in  the  Septuagint  (ii.  4 — The 
book  of  ''the  generations  of  the  heavens  and  of  the 
earth,"  cf.  with  Matthew  i.  1 — "The  book  of  the  genera- 
tion of  Jesus  Christ").  This  title  was  adopted  by  the 
translators  of  the  King  James  Version. 

The  Jews  named  it  from  its  opening  words,  "  In  the 
beginning,"  and  thus  called  it,  "The  Book  of  Begin- 
nings. "  It  is  interesting  to  note  the  beginnings  referred 
to  in  this  book.  We  have  the  beginning  of  the  world, 
the  earth,  man,  the  Sabbath,  marriage,  the  family,  sin, 
sacrifice,  prophecy,  promise,  Israel,  the  nations,  the  Jew, 
language,  death,  arts  and  science,  and  many  other  things. 
Indeed,  there  is  the  beginning  of  practically  everything 
in  connection  with  the  redemption  and  the  world,  the  be- 
ginning of  everything  but  God. 

The  Authorship  of  the  Book.  Genesis,  being  a  part 
of  the  Pentateuch,  was  written,  according  to  the  testi- 
mony of  Jewish  history  and  tradition,  of  the  Scriptures 
themselves,  as  well  as  of  Christ,  by  Moses  (cf  Joshua 
i.  7,  8 ;  viii.  31,  34 ;  xxiii.  6  ;  1  Kings  ii.  3 ;  2  Kings 
xiv.  6  ;  xxiii.  25  ;  1  Chronicles  xxii.  12,  13  ;  2  Chronicles 
XXV.  4  ;  xxxiii.  8  ;  Ezra  iii.  2  ;  vi.  18  ;  Nehemiah  i.  7,  8  ; 
viii.  1 ;  John  i.  17  ;  v.  45-47 ;  vii.  19-23 ;  Luke  xxiv. 
27,  44). 

The  Purpose  of  the  Book.  In  order  to  understand 
the  purpose  of  Genesis,  we  must  get  a  glimpse  of  the  pur- 
pose of  the  Old  Testament  in  its  entirety.  The  Old  Tes- 
tament is  the  book  of  Israel.  It  is  true  that  other  nations 
and  peoples  are  dealt  with,  but  only  incidentally,  and  in 
so  far  as  they  are  necessary  to  the  development  of  Israel's 


Introduction  1 1 


history,  national  and  religious  life.  It  is  doubtless  the 
main  purpose  of  Genesis  to  set  before  us  the  beginnings 
of  the  nation  of  Israel,  the  chosen  race,  the  nation  selected 
by  God  to  be  the  depository  of  His  truth,  and  the  dissem- 
inator of  that  truth  among  the  nations  of  the  world.  It 
is  true  that  the  choosing  of  the  nation  does  not  really 
begin  until  chapter  twelve — the  call  of  Abraham.  One 
cannot  fail  to  recognize,  however,  that  the  preceding 
eleven  chapters,  dealing  with  the  history  of  the  world 
and  the  human  race  in  general,  are  but  a  background  for 
and  lead  up  to  the  call  of  Abraham  as  the  father  of  the ' 
chosen  race.  This  background  (chaps,  i.-xi.)  sets  before 
us  the  relation  of  God  to  the  material  universe  and  to  the 
creation  of  man  and  woman  ;  the  environment  in  which 
our  first  parents  were  placed,  and  describes  to  us  the 
temptation  and  fall,  with  the  dire  consequences  attending 
that  lapse  from  original  integrity — consequences  which 
affected,  not  only  our  first  parents,  but  their  progeny, 
and  the  entire  race. 

JjfcjBifiJj|ggjgJ»iSiir  "^^  have  the  primeval  history  of  the 
race  and  the  origin  of  nations  set  before  us,  not  so  much 
for  the  value  that  these  facts  have  in  themselves^^but  more 
particularly  because  of  their  relation  to  the  divine  pur- 
pose and  action  in  the  selection  of  one  nation  as  the  divine 
depository  of  the  sacred  records  and  of  the  divine  pur- 
pose in  connection  with  man's  redemption. 

The  main  point  of  Genesis,  then,  is  to  trace  the  history 
of  Israel,  and  describe  the  steps  by  which  it  became  a 
nation,  having  a  separate  and  distinct  existence.  The 
student  soon  discovers  this  purpose,  and  cannot  fail  to 
observe  how  other  nations  are  mentioned  but  briefly  and 
then  dismissed,  while  his  attention  is  continually  fastened 
upon  Israel.  The  tables  of  the  nations  and  of  the 
descendents  of  Noah  disappear,  except  the  line  of  Shem 
— tjjj;^  nhfififin   line.     After  chapter  twenty -five  Ishmael 


12  The  Book  of  Genesis 

disappear^,  aud  Isaac — the  chosen  seed — alone  remains. 
In  chapter  thirty-six  Esau  and  his  descendents  disap- 
pear, and  Jacob  only — the  chosen  seed — is  left.  The 
purpose  of  Genesis,  therefore,  is  very  clearly  recognized 
from  a  careful  study  of  these  facts. 

The  Divisions  of  the  Book.  Genesis  may  be  divided, 
topically,  genealogically,  or  according  to  its  subject 
analysis. 

Topically:  I.  Primeval  History — History  of  the 
human  race  as  a  whole  (chaps,  i.-xi.).  II.  Patriarchal 
History — History  of  the  Jewish  patriarchs :  Abraham, 
Isaac,  Jacob,  and  Joseph  (chaps,  xii.-l.). 

Genealogically :  According  to  the  genealogies  of  Gen- 
esis, the  book  divides  itself  into  eleven  chapters,  each 
one  of  which  begins  with  the  words,  ' '  These  are  the  gen- 
erations of."  According  to  this  method  of  dividing  the 
book.  Genesis  has  really  but  eleven  chapters  instead  of 
fifty,  and  it  is  a  very  serious  question  as  to  whether  this 
is  not  the  proper  way  to  study  the  book.  According 
to  this  analysis,  the  following  are  the  divisions  of  the 
book : 

I.    1.  1-ii.  3.  "In    the   beginning,  God." 

Creation  in  general. 

II.     ii.  4-iv.  26.  Generations  of  the  heaven  and 

the  earth  (creation  of  man). 

III.  V.  1-vi.  18.  Generations  of  Adam — Seth, 

chosen  seed  (v.  7). 

IV.  vi.  9-ix.  29.  Generations  of  Noah — Shem, 

chosen  seed  (xi.  10). 
Y.     X.  1-xi.  9.  Generations    of   the  sons  of 

Noah. 
VI.     xL  10-xi.  26.  Generations  of  Shem. 

VII.     xi.  27-xxv.  11.         Generations  of  Terah— Abra- 
ham, chosen  seed  (xii.  1). 
VIII.     XXV.  12-xxv.  18.      Generations  of  Ishmael. 


Introduction  13 


IX.     XXV.  19-xxxv.  29.    Geueratious  of  Isaac — Jacob, 

chosen  seed  (xxv.  23 j. 

X.     xxxvi.  1-xxxvii.  1.  Generations  of  Esau. 

XI.  xxxvii.  2-1.  26.  Generations  of  Jacob — Jo- 
seph, chosen  seed  (cf.  Gen- 
esis XXXV.  22  ;  xxxix.  8,  9, 
with  1  Ctironicles  v.  1,  2). 

Notes  on  this  Genealogical  Division  : 

1.  Note  the  extra  amount  of  space  given  to  chapters 
seven,  nine  and  eleven  as  compared  with  the  other  chap- 
ters. Why  1  Because  they  deal  with  the  men  through 
whom  the  promises  were  to  be  fulfilled,  and  who,  conse- 
quently, were  to  play  so  large  a  part  in  the  history  of  the 
redemption  of  the  race. 

2.  Why  was  Joseph  chosen  rather  than  Eeuben,  the 
first-born,  or  Judah,  as  the  one  through  whom  the  prom- 
ised blessing  should  come?  The  answer  is  found  by  a 
comparison  of  the  passages  found  under  XI  above.  So 
does  God  punish  sin,  although  at  the  time  of  its  occur- 
rence it  seemed  as  if  God  had  winked  at  it  (cf.  2  Chron- 
icles xvi.  9). 

3.  Note  that  those  who  are  not  in  the  direct  line  of 
the  Messiah  are  given  first,  for  example,  Cain  before  Seth 
(iv.  17  ;  V.  6);  Japheth's  (x.  2)  and  Ham's  (x.  6)  before 
Shem's  (xi.  10) ;  Ishmael's  (xxv.  12)  before  Isaac's 
(xxv.  19);  Esau's  (xxxvi.  1)  before  Jacob's  (xxxvii.  2). 
Why  all  this  ?  Is  it  not  in  full  accord  with  the  divine 
order  of,  things  as  set  forth  in  1  Corinthians  xv.  46 — 
*'  Howbeit  that  was  not  first  which  is  spiritual,  but  that 
which  is  natural ;  and  afterwards  that  which  is  spiritual "  ? 

General  Subject  Analysis : 
I.     Generation— The  Creation  of  the  Heavens  and 
the  Earth  (chaps,  i.-ii.). 
n.     Degeneration— The  Fall  of  Man  and  Its  Conse- 
quences on  Adam  and  the  Eace  (chaps,  iii.-xi.). 


14  The  Book  of  Genesis 


III.     Eegeneration— The  Call  of  Abraham  aud  the  De- 
velopment of  the  Chosen  Eace  (chaps,  xii.-l.). 

/  It  has  been  claimed  by  some  that  Genesis  i.  1,  2  sum 
up  the  contents  of  the  whole  book.  This  may  be  set 
;  forth  as  follows  :  Construction,  i.  1—"  God  created  the 
heavens  and  the  earth"  ;  Destruction,  i.  2— "And  the 
earth  was  waste  and  void"  ;  Eeconstruction,  i.  2—''  And 
the  Spirit  of  God  moved  upon  the  face  of  the  waters. " 
Genesis  may  also  be  divided  into  two  great  divisions  : 

I.     The  History  of  the  Human  Eace  as  a  Whole 
(chaps,  i.-xi.). 

II.     The  History  of  the  Chosen  Nation— Israel  (chaps, 
xii.-l.). 

The  Great  Facts  of  the  Book.  It  will  help  the 
student  to  get  a  comprehensive  grasp  of  Genesis  if  he 
recognizes  the  great  facts  that  are  dealt  with  in  this  book. 
They  are  five  :  Creation  (chaps,  i.,  ii.);  Fall  (chaps, 
iii.-v.);  The  Flood  (chaps,  vi.-ix.);  The  Nations  (chaps, 
x.-xi.);  Patriarchs,  including  Joseph  (chaps,  xii.-l.). 

The  outline  that  we  shall  use  in  our  study  of  Genesis  is 
twofold :  (a)  The  History  of  the  Human  Eace  as  a 
Whole  (chaps,  i.-xi.).  (&)  The  History  of  the  Patriarchs 
(chaps,  xii.-l.). 

Under  the  first  division,  we  shall  group  the  contents  as 
follows:  The  relation  of  God  to  the  world  (chap,  i.);  The 
relation  of  man  to  God  (chaps,  ii.,  iii.);  The  relation  of 
man  to  fellowmen  (chaps,  iv.,  v.);  The  development  of  sin 

.       in  the  race — The  penalty  of  sin  (chaps,  vi.-xi.). 

\  Under  the  second  division,  we  shall  consider  the  con- 
tents of  these  chapters  as  grouping  themselves  around 
the  patriarchs:  Abraham  (chaps,  xii.-xxv.)  ;  Isaac 
(chaps,  xxi.-xxviii.) ;  Jacob  (chaps,  xxvii.-l.) ;  and 
Joseph  (chaps,  xxxvii.-l.). 


Synopsis 

PART  I 

The  History  of  the  Human  Race  as  a  Whole 
(Chapters  i.-xi.) 

I.  The  Relation  of  God  to  the  World  (Chap,  i.) 

II.  The  Relation  of  Man  to  God — Sinless  and  Sin- 

ful (Chaps,  ii.-iii.) 

1.  Man  as  Sinless  and  Unfallen  (Chap.  ii.). 
(a)   Man's  Origin  and  Nature. 

(3)    Man's  Environment — Eden. 

(r)    Man's  Companion — Eve. 

(/)  The  Dominion  Given  to  Man, 

2.  Man  as  Sinful  and  Fallen  (Chap.  iii.). 

III.  The    Relation    of    Man    to    His    Fellowmen 

(Chaps,  iv.-v.) 

IV.  The    Development   of   Sin   in   the  Race — The 

Penalty  of  Sin  (Chaps,  vii.-viii.) 

PART  II 

The  History  of  the  Patriarchs 

(Chapters  xii.-I.) 

I.      Abraham,  the  Father  of  the  Faithful  (Chaps, 
xii.-xxv.) 

1.  The  First  Manifestation  of  God  to  Abraham 

^ — The  Call  to  Separation  (Chaps,  xi.  31- 
xii.  5). 

2,  The  Second  Manifestation  of  God  to  Abraham 

— Encouragement  (Chap.  xii.  7-9). 

15 


l6  Synopsis 

The  First  Episode — Egypt  (Chaps,  xii.  lo— 
xiii.  13  ;  cf.  Chap.  xx.). 

Lot — A  Study  in  Backsliding — Another  Epi- 
sode (Chap.  xiii.  5-13). 

3.  The  Third  Manifestation  of  God  to  Abraham 

— Reassurance  (Chap.  xiii.  14-17). 
The  Second  Episode — The  Battle  of  the  Kings 
(Chap.  xiv.). 

4.  The  Fourth  Manifestation  of  God  to  Abraham 

— The   Promise   of  a   Seed  and  the  Land 
Reaffirmed  (Chap.  xv.  1-2 1). 
The     Third     Episode — Hagar    and    Ishmael 
(Chap.  xvi.  1-16). 

5.  The  Fifth  Manifestation  of  God  to  Abraham — 

Added  Assurance  (Chap.  xvii.  1-27). 

6.  The  Sixth  Manifestation  of  God  to  Abraham — 

Intercession  (Chaps,  xviii.-xix.). 
Fourth     Episode — Abraham    and    Abimelech 
(Chaps.  XX.  and  xxi.  22-33). 

7.  The  Seventh   Manifestation   of  God  to  Abra- 

ham— The       Supreme      Test     of      Faith 
(Chaps,  xxii.-xxv.). 
Fifth  Episode — The  Death  of  Sarah  (Chap, 
xxiii.). 

IL      The  History  of  Isaac  (Chaps,  xxv.  19-xxviii.  9, 
Chap.  XXXV.) 

1.  Isaac's  Birth  and  Name  (Chaps,  xvii.  17-19; 

xviii.  12-13  ;  xxi.  6). 

2.  The  Marriage  of  Isaac  (Chap.  xxiv.). 

3.  Isaac's  Career  (Chap.  xxvi.  1-22,  23-33). 

(/?)  The  First   Manifestation  of  God  to  Isaac 

(Chap,  xxvi    1-22). 
(^)   The    Second    Manifestation    of    God    to 

Isaac — Beer-sheba  (Chap.  xxvi.   23-33). 

4.  Isaac's  Death  (Chap.  xxxv.  28,  29). 

III.     The    History    of   Jacob   (Chaps,   xxviii.-xxxv. ; 
xlvi.  1-7.) 

I.  The   First   Manifestation  of  God   to  Jacob — 
Bethel — Flight  (Chap,  xxviii.). 


Synopsis  17 

2.  The   Second   Manifestation  of  God  to  Jacob — 

Padan-araip — Return  (Chap,  xxxi.), 

3.  The  Third    Manifestation  of  God  to  Jacob — 

Mahanaim  (Chap,  xxxii.). 

4.  The  Fourth  Manifestation  of  God  to  Jacob — 

Peniel  (Chap,  xxxii.  24-32). 

5.  The   Fifth   Manifestation  of  God  to  Jacob — 

The  Forgotten  Vow  (Chap.  xxxv.  1-8). 

6.  The   Sixth    Manifestation    of  God  to  Jacob — 

Bethel  Again  (Chap.  xxxv.  9-15). 

7.  The  Seventh  Manifestation  of  God  to  Jacob — 

Beer-sheba  (Chap,  xlvi.1-7). 

IV.    The     History    of    Joseph     (Chaps,     xxxvii.-l.) 

1.  The  Chosen   Vessel  in    Preparation    (Chaps. 

xxxvii.-xli.  36). 
{a)  Joseph  as  a  Son  (Chap,  xxxvii.). 
l^b)  Joseph  as  a  Slave  (Chap,  xxxix.  1-20). 
(f)  Joseph   as   a  Prisoner  (Chap,  xxxix.  21— 
xli.  36). 

2.  The  Chosen  Vessel  in  Service  (Chaps,  xli.  37- 

1.  21). 
(^)  Joseph  and  Pharaoh  (Chaps,  xli.  37-57). 

(b)  Joseph   and    the    Egyptians    (Chaps,  xli. 

46-57;  xlvii.  13-31). 

(c)  Joseph    and    his    Brethren    (Chaps,    xlii. 

1-45;  1.  15-21  ;  cf.  Chap,  xxviii.). 

(d)  Joseph     and    his     Father    (Chaps,    xlvi. 

i-l.  14). 

3.  The  Dissolution  of  the  Chosen  Vessel  (Chap. 

1.  22-26). 


i8 


The  Book  of  Genesis 


The  Eight  Great  Words  of  Genesis 


I.     History  of  Mankind,  i.-xi. 

II. 

History  of  Israel,  xxil.-l. 

I.     Creation  -     -     i.-ii. 

5- 

Abraham  -  xii.-xxv. 

2.     Fall  -     -     -     iii.-vi. 

6. 

Isaac    -   xxi.-xxviii. 

3.     Flood   -     -     vii.-ix. 

7- 

Jacob  xxvii.-xxxvii. 

4.     Nations  •     -     x.-xi. 

8. 

Joseph   -   xxxviii.-l. 

PART  I 

The  History  of  the  Human  Race 
as  a  Whole 

{CJiopters  i.-xi.) 


Let  us  recall  in  this  connection  that  these 
chapters  are  a  background  for  the  introduction 
of  God's  method,  purpose,  and  dealing  with  the 
chosen  race,  the  children  of  Israel. 


The  Relation  of  God  to  the  World 

{Chapter  i.) 

WE  are  not  interested,  in  our  present  study,  in 
the  question  as  to  how  this  record  came, 
whether  it  was  directly  revealed  to  Moses  by 
God,  or  came  to  the  hands  of  Moses  by  way  of  tradition. 
The  inspiration  of  the  Scriptures  vouches  for  the  accuracy 
of  the  record,  whether  that  record  came  by  direct  revela- 
tion, or  is  recorded  from  previously  existing  material. 
In  our  study  of  Genesis,  we  are^gsiiau^giJtilftiaspilMWJL 

This  chapter,  with  the  probable  exception  of  verse  one, 
gives  the  account  of  the  construction,  or  probably  better, 
the  reconstruction,  or  preparation  of  the  earth  as  a  dwell- 
ing place  for  the  human  race.  It  is  likely  that  this  chap- 
ter gives  an  account  of  an  original  creation — *'  In  the  be- 
ginning, God  created  the  heavens  and  the  earth  ' ' — which, 
by  reason  of  some  catastrophe,  probably  the  fall  of  Satan 
and  his  angels,  had  become  *'  waste  and  void  "  (ver.  2,  cf. 
Jeremiah  iv.  23-26  ;  Isaiah  xxiv.  1 ;  xlv.  18 ;  also  Ezekiel 
xxviii.  12-15  ;  Isaiah  xiv.  9-14).  How  long  these  origi- 
nal heavens  and  earth  remained  before  they  became 
"waste  and  void,"  we  do  not  know.  The  words,  ''In 
the  beginning,"  may  represent  all  the  millions  of  years 
that  geologists  speak  about,  and  account  for  all  fossil 
remains. 

Beginning  with  the  second  verse  and  continuing  through- 
out the  chapter,  we  are  told  of  a  reconstruction  of  these 
heavens  and  earth,  which  by  reason  of  some  catastrophe 

41 


22  The  Book  of  Genesis 

had  become  waste  and  void,  into  a  fit  dwelling-place  for 
man.  How  wonderful  are  these  preparations  !  The  sec- 
ond day's  creation  did  not  take  place  until  the  first  day 
had  all  been  prepared  for  it,  and  so  with  each  succeeding 
day.  The  animals  were  not  made  until  the  vegetation 
had  been  prepared  for  them.  Man  was  not  made  until 
everything  was  in  preparation  for  his  appearance.  Notice 
each  day's  preparation  for  what  followed,  and  then  re- 
member that  all  this  was  for  man.  If  the  future  be  as 
momentous  in  its  reality  as  the  past  was  in  its  prepara- 
tion, then  we  may  ask,  "What  is  man  ?  What  kind  of  a 
being  is  he  that  God  should  make  such  wonderful  prepa- 
rations as  this  for  him  1  The  psalmist  says  :  "  What  is 
man,  that  thou  art  mindful  of  him  ?  and  the  son  of  man, 
that  thou  visitest  him?  For  thou  hast  made  him  a  little 
lower  than  the  angels  "  (literally,  a  little  less  than  God). 
I  am  not  a  creature  of  blind  mechanical  forces.  I  am 
the  child  of  my  heavenly  Father.  What  a  beautiful 
world  this  must  have  been  !  It  is  said  that  the  creation 
was  good  "to  look  upon."  God  made  everything  beau- 
tiful in  its  season.  We  are  told  that  Christ  has  gone  into 
the  heavens  to  prepare  mansions  for  us.  How  beautiful 
those  mansions  must  be  ! 

It  is  not  our  purpose  to  set  forth  the  relation  between 
these  early  chapters  of  Genesis  and  the  results  of  geology. 
It  may  be  sufficient  for  us  to  say  that  the  more  clearly 
defined  and  conclusively  stated  the  results  of  science  are, 
thft  nearer  they  come  to  the  truth  of  this  chapter.  Pro- 
fessor Dana  of  Yale  is  quoted  as  saying  that  not  one  defi- 
nitely ascertained  fact  of  science  is  contrary  to  Scripture. 
It  is  impossible  to  account  for  the  harmony  between  true 
science  and  the  first  chapter  of  Genesis  except  on  the 
theory  of  divine  inspiration,  so  free  is  the  Genesis  account 
from  conflict  with  science.  The  God  of  the  Word  and 
the  world  is  one  and  the  same. 


The  Relation  of  God  to  the  World  23 

All  seeming  difficult  and  impossible  things  in  this 
chapter  are  made  clear  when  we  remember  that  God  the 
Almighty  is  the  actor  in  the  scene.  It  may  be  for  this 
very  reason  that  the  name  of  God  occurs  as  many  as  forty - 
six  times  in  the  account  of  creation  (i.  1-ii.  3).  Genesis 
is  a  book  for  the  man  of  God  and  faith.  There  are  ques- 
tions here  that  neither  science  nor  reason  can  answer; 
questions  that  can  receive  a  full  and  complete  answer 
only  when  understood  by  that  higher  reason — faith. 

It  is  interesting  to  note  the  distinction  the  writer  of 
Genesis  makes  between  the  words  '' create"  and  *^ make." 
The  word  **  create  "  means  to  bring  a  thing  into  existence 
out  of  nothing,  the  introduction  of  a  new  thing — as  dis- 
tinguished from  the  word  ''made,"  which  refers  to  the 
making  of  a  new  thing  out  of  existing  material.  ' '  Create" 
is  used  in  a  unique  sense  thjcee  times  in  this  chapter  :  In 
verse  one,  dealing  with  the  creation  of  the  original 
heavens  and  earth  ;  in  verse  twenty-one,  in  describing 
the  creation  of  animals,  in  contrast  with  plant  life  ;  and 
in  verse  twenty-seven,  in  describing  the  creation  of  man, 
as  contrasted  with  the  beasts  of  the  field.  It  is  remark- 
able to  note  in  this  connection  that^.scientists  are  notable 
to  find  the  missing  link  betweenlfplanLand  Animal  life, 
and  between  animal  and  man.  The  question  may  be 
asked  whether  there  is  any  such  thing  as  a  missing  link 
in  this  case,  and  whether  the  use  of  this  word  at  these 
two  strategic  places  does  not  indicate  that  God  inaugu- 
rated a  new  order  of  things  which  cannot  be  accounted 
for  by  evolutionary  processes. 

Genesis  is  a  book  dealing  with  foundation  facts  pri- 
marily. Only  such  questions  as  concern  the  facts  with 
which  a  man  finds  himself  surrounded  are  dealt  with : 
How  did  this  world  come  into  being  1  What  is  man! 
How  did  sin  find  its  entrance  into  the  human  race? 
What  provision  is  made  for  sin's  disaster?    One  cannot 


24  The  Book  of  Genesis 

consider  these  matters  without  again  asking  himself  the 
question,  If  the  future  be  as  momentous  in  results  as  the 
past  was  in  preparation,  is  it  not  exceedingly  important 
that  we  manifest  some  interest  in  participating  in  the 
blessed  results  ? 

The  creation  of  man  is  the  crowning  act  of  this  chapter. 
He  is  described  as  being  ''created  in  the  image  and  like- 
ness of  God"  (i.  26,  27).  "Image"  means  the  shadow 
or  outline  of  a  figure,  while  "likeness"  denotes  the  re- 
semblance of  that  shadow  to  the  figure.  These  two  words 
are  practically  synonymous.  We  may  express  the  lan- 
guage as  follows  :  "  Let  us  make  man  in  our  image  to  be 
our  likeness."  That  man  was  made  in  the  "image "  and 
"likeness"  of  God  is  fundamental  in  all  God's  dealings 
with  man  (cf.  ix.  6 ;  1  Corinthians  xi.  7 ;  Ephesians  iv. 
21-24 ;  Colossians  iii.  10  ;  James  iii.  9). 

What  is  the  meaning  of  the  term  "image  and  like- 
ness"? Are  we  to  understand  that  God  has  parts  and 
passions  as  a  man,  and  that  these  terms  designate  phys- 
ical likeness?  Deuteronomy  iv.  15  contradicts  such  a 
physical  view  of  God:  "Take  ye  therefore  good  heed 
unto  yourselves ;  for  ye  saw  no  manner  of  similitude  on 
the  day  that  the  Lord  spake  unto  you  in  Horeb  out  of 
the  midst  of  the  fire."  Nor  does  Psalm  xvii.  15  denote 
physical  likeness  to  God,  for  the  Eevised  Version  makes 
the  verse  read  :  "I  shall  be  satisfied  when  I  awake  with 
beholding  thy  form."  It  is  fair,  however,  to  believe  that 
erectness  of  posture,  intelligence  of  countenance,  and  a 
quick  glancing  eye  characterized  the  first  man.  The 
terms  "image  and  likeness"  are  interpreted  in  Bible  lan- 
guage as  referring  to  moral,  intellectual,  and  spiritual 
qualities:  "knowledge,  righteousness,  and  holiness  of 
truth"  (Ephesians  iv.  23,  24;  Colossians  iii.  10).  Prob- 
ably dominion,  authority  over  the  rest  of  God's  creation 
is  involved  in  "  image  and  likeness"  (1  Corinthians  xi.  7). 


n 

The  Relation  of  Man  to  God — Sinless  and  Sinful 

(Giapters  ii.  and  in.) 

I.  Man  as  Sinless  and Unfallen (chap.  ii.).  Chapter 
two  is  not  a  second  and  different  account  of  the  creation 
recorded  in  chapter  one,  but  a  detailed  account  of  one  part 
of  it,  namely,  the  creation  of  man.  Man  is  but  a  part 
of  the  general  creation  in  chapter  one,  his  creation  being 
spoken  of  in  connection  with  that  of  trees,  plants,  flowers, 
birds,  beasts,  and  fishes.  The  second  chapter  separates 
man  from  all  these,  and  discusses  his  origin,  his  nature, 
and  his  environment.  In  other  words,  in  chapter  one 
you  have  the  account  of  the  creation  of  man  in  general ; 
in  chapter  two,  in  detail.  Here  is  shown  God's  interest 
in  man  as  the  crowning  work  of  His  creation.  Four 
things,  especially,  are  of  interest  in  this  chapter  : 

First.  Man's  Origin  and  Nature.  "And  the  Lord  God 
formed  man  of  the  dust  of  the  ground,  and  breathed  into 
his  nostrils  the  breath  of  life  ;  and  man  became  a  living 
soul "  (ii.  7).  From  this  verse  we  learn  that  man  is  dust 
inbreathed'  by  deity.  When  God  made  the  plant.  He 
gave  it  a  body.  When  He  made  the  beast.  He  gave  it  a 
body  and  a  soul  (that  is,  a  certain  kind  of  soul,  for  the 
soul  of  the  beast  is  different  in  origin,  nature,  and  destiny 
from  that  of  man.  A  beast  may  have  will,  but  not  self- 
will  ;  determination,  but  not  self-determination ;  con- 
sciousness, but  not  self-consciousness).  When  God  made 
man,  He  gave  him  a  body,  as  the  plant ;  a  soul,  as  the 
beast ;  but  also^^aspirii^from  Himself,  which  was  the  re- 
sult of  divine_inbriathiJ3gi    TFwaS"  the  inbreathing  into 

25 


26  The  Book  of  Genesis 

man  of  the  diviue  Spirit  (or  Spirit)  that  made  man  a  liv- 
ing soul,  and  it  is  this  very  Spirit  of  God  in  man  which 
differentiates  him  from  the  beast,  and  that  unites  him 
with  God.     A  man  without  religion  is  not  a  man. 


"  For  what  are  men  better  than  sheep  or  goats, 
If,  knowing  God,  they  lift  not  hands  of  prayer 
Both  for  themselves  and  those  who  call  them  friend?" 


Solomon  says:  ''Fear  God,  and  keep  his  command- 
ments :  for  this  is  the  whole  (duty  of)  man  "  (Ecclesiastes 
xii.  13).  A  man  without  religion  is  not  a  full,  complete, 
whole  man.  Any  system  of  education  that  omits  the 
religious  element  is  not  true  education.  Education  has 
been  defined  as  the  "  development  of  the  normal  faculties 
of  man."  Greek,  Latin,  German,  French,  mathematics, 
and  many  other  such  studies  are  not  absolutely  necessary 
to  a  normal  man.  A  man  may  be  normal  and  not  be 
versed  in  any  of  these  subjects.  Eeligion,  however,  is  a 
normal  faculty  of  man  ;  and  no  man  is  educated  and  no 
system  of  education  is  truly  worthy  of  the  name  that  does 
not  include  the  care  of  the  soul.  Our  modern  system 
of  education  is  incomplete  and  insuf&cient  in  so  far  as  it 
does  not  develop  the  religious,  which  is  a  normal  faculty 
of  man. 

Man  is  body,  soul,  and  spirit ;  or,  more  properly, 
spirit,  soul,  and  body  (cf.  1  Thessalonians  v.  23 ; 
Hebrews  iv.  12).  The  body  is  that  which  may  be  played 
upon  by  the  spirit  or  soul,  and  thus  a  man,  in  as  far  as 
he  allows  either  one  of  these  to  predominate  over  the 
body,  is  either  "soulish"  or  "spiritual."  Paul  speaks 
of  the  "natural  "  (soulish)  man  and  the  "spiritual"  man 
(1  Corinthians  ii.  14,  15). 

Adam  and  Eve  were  created  with  sinless  natures,  but 
with  the  possibility  of  sinning. 


The  Relation  of  Man  to  God  27 

Our  attention  is  drawn  to  the  intellectual  power  of  our 
first  parent.  Genesis  ii.  19  is  very  clear  in  its  teaching 
that  man  was  created  and  endowed  with  superior  intel- 
lectual faculties.  Adam  had  not  only  the  power  of 
speech,  but  the  power  of  reasoning  and  thought  in  con- 
nection with  speech.  He  could  attach  words  to  ideas. 
This  is  not  the  picture,  as  evolution  would  have  us  be- 
lieve, of  an  infantile  savage  slowly  groping  his  way 
towards  articulate  speech  by  imitation  of  the  sounds  of 
animals. 

From  all  this  it  is  evident  that  man's  original  state  was 
not  one  of  savagery.  Indeed,  there  is  abundant  evidence 
to  show  that  man  has  been  degraded  from  a  very  much 
higher  stage.  Both  the  Bible  and  science  agree  in  mak- 
ing man  the  crowning  work  of  God,  and  that  there  will 
be  no  higher  order  of  beings  here  on  the  earth  than  man. 
"We  must  not  forget  that  while  man,  from  one  side  of  his 
nature,  is  linked  to  the  animal  creation,  he  is  yet  supra- 
natural — a  being  of  a  higher  order  and  more  splendid 
nature ;  he  is  in  the  ' '  image  and  likeness  of  God. "  Man 
has  developed  not  from  the  ape,  but  away  from  it.  He 
never  was  anything  but  potential  man.  *'No  single 
instance  has  yet  been  adduced  of  the  transformation 
of  one  animal  species  into  another,  either  by  natural 
or  artificial  selection ;  much  less  has  it  been  demonstrated 
that  the  body  of  the  brute  has  ever  been  developed  into 
that  of  the  man.  The  links  that  should  bind  man  to  the 
monkey  have  not  been  found.  Not  a  single  one  can  be 
shown.  None  have  been  found  that  stood  nearer  the 
monkey  than  the  man  of  to-day." — Agassiz. 

Second.  Man's  Environment— Eden.  Adam  and  Eve 
were  placed  in  the  garden  of  Eden,  in  which  everything 
was  in  a  state  of  perfection.  There  was  nothing  to  defile 
or  destroy.  Everything  was  beautiful  in  its  season. 
This  Edenic  condition  is  called  ''Paradise."    Its  location 


28  The  Book,  of  Genesis 

and  boundaries  are  distinctly  stated  in  this  chapter 
(vers.  9-17).  Just  in  what  part  of  the  world  it  was 
located,  we  may  not  be  able  definitely  to  state  at  the 
present.  The  work  of  man  was  to  "  dress  it  and  to  keep 
it. "  Here,  doubtless,  was  work  without  weariness,  a  per- 
fect environment  for  a  perfect  man.  It  may  be  of  interest 
to  note  that  the  first  two  and  the  last  two  chapters  of  the 
Bible  deal  with  a  perfect  condition  or  existence  in  which 
there  is  nothing  to  defile,  hurt,  or  destroy.  The  first 
paradise  was  lost  through  sin ;  the  second  is  regained 
through  Christ,  and  can  never  be  lost.  The  "  tree  of 
life"  we  read  of  in  the  second  and  third  chapters  of 
Genesis  is  not  mentioned  again  throughout  the  whole 
Bible  until  we  come  to  the  book  of  Eevelation,  in  which 
is  described  for  us  the  environment  of  redeemed  and 
glorified  humanity. 

Third.  Plan's  Companion — Eve.  Here  we  have  the  ac- 
count of  the  creation  of  Eve,  the  companion  of  Adam. 
God's  thought  and  purpose  for  man  are  indicated  here 
— that  purpose  is  marriage.  God  made  them  "  male  and 
female ' '  for  the  purpose  of  marriage  and  the  propagation 
of  the  race.  Do  men  and  women  thwart  God's  plan  when 
they  do  not  carry  out  His  intended  purpose?  God's 
creative  purpose  for  the  race  is  marriage.  There  are 
some  recognized  exceptions  to  this  rule,  of  course 
(Matthew  xix.  3-12),  but  otherwise  the  purpose  of  God  is 
clearly  declared.  It  is  of  interest  to  note  that  woman 
was  taken,  not  from  man's  head,  to  be  above  him  ;  nor 
from  his  feet,  to  be  below  him  ;  but  from  his  side,  to  be 
equal  with  him  and  his  companion  in  life.  Yet  see 
1  Corinthians  xi.  2-11  for  woman's  relation  to  man. 

In  this  connection  we  should  remember  that  marriage 
is  an  institution  ordained  of  God  and  has  come  down  to 
us  from  man's  state  of  innocency.  The  uniting  in  mar- 
riage of  man  and  woman  makes  them  forever  one.     Our 


The  Relation  of  Man  to  God  29 

Lord  Jesus  bases  very  definite  teaching  regarding  divorce 
on  this  passage,  and  leads  us  to  believe  that  a  second 
marriage  contracted  by  either  one  of  the  ]3arties  during 
the  lifetime  of  the  other  party  constitutes  adultery. 
Nothing  but  the  death  of  the  other  partner  gives  the  right 
to  another  marriage  (cf.  Matthew  v.  32  ;  xix.  3-9  ;  Mark 
X.  2-12;  Luke  xvi.  18).  It  is  the  basis,  also,  of  Paul's 
teaching  (Eomans  vii.  1-3  ;  1  Corinthians  vii.  10). 

Fourth.  The  Dominion  Given  to  Man.  In  man's  hand 
was  placed,  by  God,  the  scepter  of  dominion  over  all 
things  that  God  had  created.  This  dominion  lasted  until 
sin  entered  into  the  race.  Without  doubt  the  beasts  of 
the  field  were  subject  to  the  will  of  our  first  parents.  It 
is  a  characteristic  of  the  millennial  age  that  the  beasts 
shall  be  subject  to  the  will  of  the  redeemed  (Isaiah 
xi.  6-9).  It  is  interesting  to  note  that  our  Lord,  during 
His  temptation,  was  "  with  the  wild  beasts "  in  the 
wilderness  (Mark  i.  13),  and  yet  they  did  not  harm  Him. 
All  the  creation  was  involved  in  the  fall  of  man 
(Eomans  viii.  19-22).  Now,  instead  of  the  beasts  being 
afraid  of  man,  man  is  afraid  of  the  beasts.  Some  day  it 
will  be  otherwise  (Isaiah  xi.,  xxxv.). 

2.  Man  as  Sinful  and  Fallen  (chap.  iii.).  Man  was 
created,  not  only  sinless,  but  a  free  agent  and  a  moral 
being.  Communion  with  God  was  by  obedience,  and 
righteousness  by  testing.  The  purpose  of  this  chapter  is 
to  show  the  entrance  of  sin  into  the  human  race — not  into 
the  world,  for  sin  was  in  the  world  before  Adam  fell,  and 
was  probably  introduced  into  the  world  by  the  fall  of 
Satan  and  his  angels  (see  page  21). 

The  doctrine  of  the  fall  of  man  {chap.  Hi.). 

Other  religions  beside  Christianity  recognize  this  great 
and  awful  fact.  Did  we  not  possess  such  an  account  as 
we  find  in  Genesis  iii.  of  the  fall  of  man  from  his  original 


30  The  Book  of  Genesis 

condition,  we  would  have  to  invent  one,  for  without  such 
a  narrative  the  present  awful  condition  of  man  in  such 
striking  contrast  to  the  picture  of  chapters  one  and  two 
would  have  to  be  accounted  for.  This  chapter  in  Genesis 
gives  the  fullest  account  of  this  awful  tragedy  in  the  ex- 
perience of  mankind.  Other  scriptures,  however,  should 
be  considered  in  this  connection  (Genesis  vi.  5  ;  viii.  21 ; 
Psalm  xiv.  ;  Eomans  iii.  10-23  ;  v.  12-19 ;  1  Timothy 
ii.  14).  When  we  compare  Genesis  i.  26 — man's  original, 
sinless  condition — with  vi.  5— setting  forth  man's  sinful 
and  deplorably  fallen  state,  we  naturally  ask  for  a  reason 
for  the  difference  between  these  two  conditions.  The 
reason  is  given  in  this  account  of  the  fall. 

This  chapter  is  to  be  looked  upon  as  actual,  literal  his- 
tory. It  is  not  fair  to  call  some  parts  of  this  chapter 
literal,  and  others  allegorical,  mythical,  figurative.  The 
whole  chapter  must  be  interpreted  in  the  same  manner. 
The  geographical  locations  in  connection  with  the  story 
of  the  fall  are  historical.  The  curse  pronounced  on  the 
man,  the  woman,  and  the  ground,  are  certainly  literal. 
Is  it  not  a  fact  that  death  is  in  the  world  to-day  as  the 
wages  of  sin  and  not  simply  as  a  debt  of  nature!  Is  it 
not  a  fact  that  the  ground  brings  forth  thorns  and  briers  1 
Is  it  not  a  fact  that  man  earns  his  bread  by  the  sweat  of 
his  brow  1  Is  it  not  a  fact  that  children  are  born  into  the 
world  over  the  ever  thorny  way  of  a  woman's  pain,  and 
anguish,  and  fear  1  Unquestionably  Christ  and  the  Scrip- 
ture writers  regarded  the  event  as  historical  and  literal 
(Matthew  xix.  4  ;  Mark  x.  6  ;  2  Corinthians  xi.  3 ; 
1  Timothy  ii.  13-15  j  1  Corinthians  xv.  56). 

It  must  be  kept  in  mind  that  Adam  and  Eve  were  free 
moral  agents  ;  that  while  they  were  sinless  beings,  it  was 
yet  possible  for  them  to  sin,  just  as  it  was  possible  for 
them  not  to  sin.  A  careful  reading  of  the  narrative  leads 
to  the  following  remarks  on  the  fall : 


The  Relation  of  Man  to  God  31 

The  siu  of  our  first  parents  was  purely  volitional ;  it 
was  an  act  of  their  own  determination.  Their  sin  was, 
like  all  other  sin,  a  voluntary  act  of  the  will. 

It  came  from  an  outside  source,  that  is  to  say,  it  was 
instigated  from  without.  There  was  no  sin  in  the  nature 
of  the  first  human  pair.  Consequently  there  must  have 
been  an  ungodly  principle  already  in  the  world.  Prob- 
ably the  fall  of  Satan  and  the  evil  angels  had  taken  place 
already. 

The  essence  of  the  first  sin  lay  In  the  denial  of  the 
divine  will ;  an  elevation  of  the  will  of  man  over  the  will 
of  God. 

It  was  a  deliberate  transgressing  of  a  divinely  marked 
boundary  ;  an  overstepping  of  the  divine  limits. 

In  ita  last  analysis,  the  first  sin  was,  what  each  and 
every  sin  committed  since  has  been,  a  positive  disbelief 
in  the  word  of  the  living  God — a  belief  of  Satan  rather 
than  a  belief  in  God. 

It  is  helpful  to  note  that  the  same  lines  of  temptation 
that  were  presented  to  our  first  parents  were  presented  to 
Christ  in  the  wilderness  (Matthew  iv.  1-11),  and  have 
been  to  men  ever  since  (1  John  ii.  15-17).  Satan's 
program  is  short  and  shallow  after  all. 

Looking  at  the  effects  of  the  fall  in  Genesis  alone,  we 
see  its  effect  on  Adam  and  Eve,  chapter  iii. ;  their  family 
— the  murder  of  Abel  by  Cain,  chapter  iv.  ;  and  on  the 
race,  ending  with  the  flood,  chapters  v.-ix. 

The  results  of  the  fall  in  the  experience  of  our  first  par- 
ents were  as  follows  : 

The  ground  was  cursed,  so  that  henceforth  it  would  not 
yield  good  alone  (Genesis  iii.  17). 

Sorrow  and  pain  to  the  woman  in  child-bearing,  and 
subjection  of  woman  to  the  man  (Genesis  iii.  16). 

Exhausting  physical  labour  in  order  to  subsist  (Genesis 
Ui.  19). 


32  The  Book  of  Genesis 

Physical  and  spiritual  death  (Genesis  iii.  19  ;  iii.  2  ; 
V.  5  ;  Romans  v.  12). 

Of  course,  with  all  this  came  also  a  fear  of  God,  a  shame 
because  of  sin,  a  hiding  from  God's  presence,  and  finally, 
an  expulsion  from  the  garden  (Genesis  iii.  8-11,  22-24). 

The  results  on  the  race  may  be  summed  up  in  the  state- 
ment of  Paul  in  Eomans  v.  12 — "Wherefore,  as  by  one 
man  sin  entered  into  the  world,  and  death  by  sin  ;  and  so 
death  passed  upon  all  men,  for  that  all  have  sinned." 
*'  For  the  judgment  was  by  one  to  condemnation  "  (v.  16). 
"  For  as  by  one  man's  disobedience  many  were  made  sin- 
ners" (v.  19).  All  men  were  in  Adam  when  he  sinned  ; 
fallen  he,  fallen  they.  Herein  lies  the  truth  of  the  organic 
unity  of  the  race.     "In  Adam  all  die." 

All  men,  now,  since  the  fall,  without  respect  of  condi- 
tion or  class,  are  sinners  before  God.  There  may  be  a 
difference  in  the  degree,  but  not  in  the  fact  of  sin.  All 
men,  Jew  and  Gentile,  have  missed  the  mark,  and  failed 
to  attain  to  God's  standard.  There  is  none  righteous,  no, 
not  one  (Eomans  iii.  9,  10,  22,  23 ;  Psalm  xiv.  ;  Isaiah 
liii.  6).  The  whole  world  rests  under  condemnation, 
wrath,  and  curse  :  "That  every  mouth  may  be  stopped, 
and  all  the  world  may  become  guilty  before  God  "  (Romans 
iii.  19).  The  law  of  God  demands  a  perfect  obedience  ; 
but  no  son  of  man  can  yield  such  obedience  ;  hence  the 
curse  of  a  broken  law  rests  upon  those  breaking  it  (Gala- 
tians  iii.  10  ;  Ephesians  ii.  3).  The  wrath  of  God  abides 
on  all  not  vitally  united  by  faith  to  Jesus  Christ 
(John  iii.  36). 

TJnregenerate  men  are  regarded  as  children  of  the  devil, 
and  not  sons  of  God.  "  Ye  are  of  your  father  the  devil " 
(1  John  iii.  8-10  ;  John  viii.  44).  "  And  we  know  that 
we  are  of  God,  and  the  whole  world  lieth  in  wickedness 
(in  the  wicked  one,  E.  V.) "  (1  John  v.  19). 

The  whole  race  of  men  are  in  helpless  captivity  to  sin 


The  Relation  of  Man  to  God  33 

aud  Satan  (Eoinaus  vii.  ;  John  viii.  31-36 ;  Ephesians 
ii.  3). 

The  entire  nature  of  man,  mentally,  morally,  spiri- 
tually, physically,  is  sadly  affected  by  sin.  The  under- 
standing is  darkened  (Ephesiaus  iv.  18  5  1  Corinthians 
ii.  14) ;  the  heart  is  deceitful  and  wicked  (Jeremiah 
xvii.  9,  10)  ;  the  mind  and  conscience  are  defiled  (Genesis 
vi.  5 ;  Titus  i.  15)  ;  the  flesh  and  spirit  are  defiled 
(2  Corinthians  vii.  5)  ;  the  will  is  enfeebled  (Komana 
vii.  18)  J  aud  we  are  utterly  destitute  of  any  Godlike  quali- 
ties which  meet  the  requirements  of  God's  holiness 
(Eomans  vii.  18). 

What  does  all  this  mean?  ''  It  does  not  mean  the  en- 
tire absence  of  conscience  (John  viii.  9) ;  nor  of  all  moral 
qualities  (Mark  x.  21)  ;  nor  that  men  are  prone  to  every 
kind  of  sin  (for  some  sins  exclude  others).  It  does  mean, 
however,  that  man  is  totally  destitute  of  love  to  God 
which  is  the  all-absorbing  commandment  of  the  law  (John 
V.  42) ;  that  the  natural  man  has  an  aversion  to  God 
(Eomans  viii.  7)  ;  that  all  that  is  stated  above  is  true  of 
man  ;  that  man  is  in  possession  of  a  nature  that  is  con- 
stantly on  the  down  grade,  and  from  the  dominion  of  which 
he  is  totally  unable  to  free  himself  (Eomans  vii.  18,  23)." 
— Dr.  Strong. 

In  this  chapter  (iii.  15)  we  find  the  first  Messianic 
promise.  The  Eedeemer  of  the  race  is  to  be  of  "  the  seed 
of  the  woman,"  that  is,  human  (cf.  Galatians  iv.  4  ;  Mat- 
thew i.  16-18).  God's  gracious  provision  at  the  moment 
of  man's  awful  sin  is  here  set  forth,  and  from  this  time 
on  the  entire  Bible  is  occupied  with  the  development  and 
fulfillment  of  this  Messianic  promise. 


Ill 

The  Relation  of  Man  to  His  Fellowmen 

(  Chapters  iv.  and  v.) 


H 


EEE  is  set  before  us  the  development  of  siu  in 
the  family  life.  The  "  image  of  God  "  had  been 
lost  in  the  fall,  so  we  are  now  told  that  Adam 
"begat  a  son  in  his  own  likeness,  after  his  own  image" 
(cf.  Genesis  v.  1,  3).  Note  the  expression  ''after  his  own 
image ' ' — not  after  the  ' '  image  of  God. ' '  Did  David  have 
this  thought  in  mind  when  he  said:  "Behold,  I  was 
shapen  in  iniquity  ;  and  in  sin  did  my  mother  conceive 
me  "  (Psalm  li.  5)  ? 

Chapter  four  contains  the  story  of  the  two  brothers, 
their  occupations  and  their  offerings.  In  Cain  we  see  the 
result  of  nursing  evil  thoughts  until  they  grow  into  mur- 
der (cf.  1  John  iii.  11-16).  Cain's  offering  was  rejected 
because  of  the  condition  of  his  heart.  The  heart,  not  the 
altar,  sanctifies  the  gift  (cf.  1  John  iii.  12).  Abel's  offer- 
ing was  accepted  because  he  was  in  right  relations  with 
God  :  "  By  Mlih-Abel  offered  unto  God  a  more  excellent 
sacrifice  than  Cain "  (Hebrews  xi.  4).  There  was  no 
respect  of  persons  with  God.  Had  Cain  been  willing  to 
turn  from  his  evil  way,  the  sin-offering  was  at  the  door  ; 
he  could  have  offered  that,  and  found  favour  with  God, 
just  as  Abel  offered  an  acceptable  sacrifice.  There  seems 
to  be  no  doubt  but  what  our  first  parents  and  Cain  and 
Abel  had  received  instructions  with  reference  to  their 
proper  approach  unto  God.  Abel  came  in  the  right  way, 
both  as  to  life  and  sacrifice — by  faith  and  with  blood ; 
Cain  did  neither,  although  he  could  have  done  both. 

34 


The  Relation  of  Man  to  His  Fellowmen     35 

It  seems  apparent  that  the  main  purpose  of  chapters 
four  and  five  is  to  set  before  us  the  beginning  of  two  dif- 
ferent lines  of  development — Cain,  representing  the  god- 
less (iv.  1-25),  and  Seth,  representing  the  godly  seed 
(iv.  25-v.  32).  Chapter  four  shows  the  growth  of  the  line 
from  Cain,  and  it  is  worth  noting  that  the  line  begins 
(iv.  8)  and  ends  (iv.  23-25)  with  murder ;  whereas  the 
line  of  Seth  begins  with  godliness  (iv.  26)  and  ends  with 
translation  into  God's  presence  (v.  24).  It  is  evidently 
the  purpose  of  the  writer  of  Genesis  to  set  before  us  the 
beginning  of  the  promised  line,  through  which  should 
come  the  Messiah.  Here  begin  two  different  tendencies, 
dispositions,  orders,  two  different  races,  as  it  were,  two 
great  classes  with  different  attitudes  towards  God  and  His 
promises — the  line  of  Seth  and  his  posterity,  submitting 
to  God  by  faith  ;  the  line  of  Cain  and  his  posterity,  showing 
obstinate  estrangement  from  God.  These  two  lines  show 
the  development  of  evil,  and  the  development  and  carry- 
ing out  of  the  purpose  of  God  in  the  world. 

The  line  of  Cain  and  his  posterity  is  traced  in  iv.  1-25. 
The  development  of  sin  and  wickedness  is  noticeable. 
Note  the  progress  of  worldliness  in  the  building  of  cities 
which  Cain  named  after  his  posterity,  the  invention  of 
the  arts  and  weapons  of  war  ;  the  line,  finally,  becoming 
so  debased  as  to  write  poetry  about  murder.  The  seventh 
in  the  line  of  Cain  was  a  murderer.  That  is,  as  it  were, 
the  completion  of  the  development  of  this  line. 

In  the  line  of  Seth  and  his  posterity  (iv.  26-v.  32)  is 
set  forth  the  godly  seed.  This  line  is  traced  to  its  sev- 
enth, Enoch,  who  walked  with  God,  and  ends  in  endless 
life.  Now  men  began  to  call  themselves  by  the  name  of 
Jehovah  (iv\_2fi-,*  cf.  Acts  xi.  26).  This  would  seem  to 
indicate  an  opposition  to  those  who  probably  called  them- 
selves after  the  names  of  idols. 

Striking  differences  are  noted  in  the  genealogies  of  Cain 


36  The  Book  of  Genesis 

and  Seth.  The  Cainites  are  mentioned  first ;  the  Seth- 
ites  last  (cf.  1  Corinthians  xv.  46).  Ko  ages  or  particu- 
lars are  attached  to  the  line  of  Cain,  but  are  always  to  the 
line  of  Seth.  The  line  of  Cain  stands  for  an  ungodly  civ- 
ilization as  its  ultimate  aim,  while  the  line  of  Seth  repre- 
sents a  development  built  on  principles  governed  by  the 
fear  of  God. 


nr 

The  Development  of  Sin  in  the  Race — The 
Penalty  of  Sin 

{Chapters  vi.-viii.) 

IF  chapters  foui-  and  five  show  the  development  and 
results  of  sin  in  the  family  life,  then  chapters  six  to 
eight  give  us  the  results  in  the  experience  of  the 
race.  Chapter  six  presents  an  awful  picture  of  the  guilt 
of  the  race,  its  lewdness  and  moral  depravity.  The  in- 
termarriage of  the  Cainites  and  Sethites  is  doubtless  ac- 
countable for  it.  By  the  "sons  of  God"  here  the  writer 
believes  the  Sethites  are  meant,  and  by  the  "daughters 
of  men"  the  descendents  of  Cain— the  godly,  and  un- 
godly seed.  The  awful  moral  decay  here  described  re- 
sulted from  believers  and  unbelievers  being  unequally 
yoked  together  (2  Corinthians  vi.  14-17).  The  "giants " 
spoken  of  here  may  refer  as  much  to  character  as  to 
stature.  What  is  indicated  is  that  might,  not  right, 
ruled  in  those  days  ;  that  men  were  noted  for  their 
mighty  deeds  and  achievements  rather  than  for  their 
godly  character. 

Amid  this  universal  wickedness  there  is  one  excep- 
tion— Enoch,  who  walked  with  God.  So  it  is  possible  to 
stand  alone,  even  in  a  godless  world. 

The  evil  condition  of  the  race  brought  sorrow  to  the 
heart  of  God.  He  repented  that  He  had  made  man.  By 
"repent"  we  are  to  understand,  not  that  God  changed 
His  mind,  but  His  purpose  and  dealings  only,  with  refer- 
ence to  the  race.     There  was  only  one  thing  to  do  and 

37 


38  The  Book  of  Genesis 

that  was  to  wipe  out  the  race  aud  make  ^new  begiuuiug 
in  Noah,  which  He  did  (vi,  5-10).  ^■"----^.„ — ^^^^^ 

The  Flood  (vi.  13-viii.  19).  The  flood  was  a  maui- 
festatiou  of  mercy  as  well  as  of  judgment.  What  other 
alternative  could  a  holy  God  have  ?  The  Scriptural  ac- 
count of  the  flood  is  corroborated  by  the  tradition  of  all 
nations.  Geology  also  corroborates  it.  Yet  the  story  is 
to  be  considered  from  the  religious  rather  than  from  the 
scientific  point  of  view.  By  the  "whole  earth"  we  are 
to  understand  the  earth  "that  then  was,"  by  which  is 
meant  that  part  of  the  earth  which  was  occupied  by  the 
race. 

The  enormous  size  of  the  ark  need  cause  no  concern. 
Men  used  to  laugh  at  its  tremendous  size  as  being  un- 
wieldy. There  are  steamships  to-day  which  exceed  the 
ark  in  dimensions,  and  yet  they  are  manipulated  with  ease. 

There  is  no  discrepancy  between  the  command  of  God 
to  Noah  to  take  two  animals  of  each  kind,  and  the  com- 
mand, given  probably  a  hundred  years  later,  to  take 
seven  of  each  kind,  into  the  ark.  Doubtless  the  "two's  " 
were  for  future  increase,  and  the  "  seven's,"  being  clean 
beasts,  were  for  sacrifice. 

The  New  Testament  makes  use  of  the  flood  in  the  fol- 
lowing ways  :  To  show  the  completeness  of  God's  work, 
that  He  will  have  holiness  at  any  cost  (cf.  2  Peter  iii. 
4-16);  that  there  is  a  Judge  over  the  earth  who  is  not  too 
good  to  punish  sin  ;  that  God  will  remember  His  cove- 
nant promise  (cf.  bow  in  the  clouds,  Genesis  ix.  11-17) ; 
that  the  earth  will  some  day  be  destroyed  by  fire  (2  Peter 
iii.  4-16). 

Other  references  to  the  flood  in  the  Bible  :  Job  xxii. 
15,  16 ;  Psalm  xc.  5  ;  Matthew  xxiv.  38,  39  ;  Luke  xvii. 
26,  27  ;  Hebrews  xi.  7 ;  1  Peter  iii.  20 ;  2  Peter  ii.  5 ; 
iii.  4-7. 


The  Development  of  Sin  in  the  Race         39 

The  Second  Probation  of  the  Race  in  Noah  (ix.  1- 
xi.  9).  The  deliverance  of  Noah  and  his  family  as  the 
nucleus  of  a  new  race  is  set  forth  in  ix.  1-19. 

With  Noah  begins  what  may  be  called  the  second  pro- 
bation of  the  race,  the  first  being  in  Adam,  which  was  a 
total  failure  ending  with  the  flood.  The  probation  of 
the  race  inNoaJi^lso  was  a  failure,  ending  with  the  con- 
fusion of  tongues  at  the  tower  of  Babel  (chap.  xi.).  The 
third  probation  of  the  race,  beginning  with  Abraham 
(xii.  1)  and  representing  the  nation  of  Israel,  the  history 
of  which  is  set  forth  in  the  entire  Old  Testament  (after 
Genesis  xi.),  the  gospels,  and  Acts,  was  also  a  failure. 
The  fourth  probation  of  the  race  in  Christ,  beginning 
with  the  gospels  and  ending  with  Eevelation,  is  a  glori- 
ous success.    See  Chart  (p.  40). 

The  second  probation  of  the  race  in  Noah  is  signalized 
by  the  pronouncement  of  the  same  blessing  upon  Noah 
as  upon  Adam  (cf.  i.  28,^  29  with  ix.  1-3).  A  new  cov- 
enant is  entered  into  with  Noah,  the  sign  of  which  is  the 
rainbow  (ix.  11-17).  The  rainbow  is  for  God  to  look  at. 
We  do  not  always  see  it,  but,  on  the  other  side  of  the 
cloud.  He  does. 

Noah's  sin  is  then  described  (ix.  18-29).  How  frail  a 
thing  is  man  !  How  helpless  without  God  !  God  had 
given  Noah  the  earth — to  use  it,  but  now  he  abuses  it. 
This  is  the  first  "drunk  '/  recorded  in  the  Bible,  and  the 
shame  which  accompanied  it  has  accompanied  all  others. 
Noah  fell  in  connection  with  his  own  occupation.  He 
could  face  an  ungodly  world,  and  yet  fell  in  his  own 
home.  Pure  all  the  days  of  his  youth  and  manhood,  he 
falls  in  his  old  age.  ' '  Let  him  that  thinketh  he  standeth 
take  heed  lest  he  fall "  (1  Corinthians  x.  12;  Matthew 
xxvi.  41). 

In  the  rebuke  of  Ham  we  see  the  folly  of  making  a 
joke  out  of  sin.     Only  fools  make  a  mock  at  sin.     The 


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The  Book  of  Genesis 


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J3      . 
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a  — 

n 

2 

a 
bfl 
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o   a 

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4)     " 

•«     X 

a     ■ 
—   a 

Is 

n 

C       M 

.2  i, 

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Holy  Spirit 

(Matt.  iii.  16,  with 

Isa.  Ixi.  X) 

c 
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<  •"! 

<  a 

K    ■ 

o  ": 

O 

ABRAHAM 

(Israel) 
(Gen.xii.-Matt.) 

> 

It 

0 

The  Development  of  Sin  in  the  Race        41 

blessing  of  Noah  on  his  children  has  been  proven  true  by 
history.  Canaan  remains  cursed  until  this  day.  Je- 
hovah is  the  God  of  Shem,  for  throughout  all  the  ages 
the  Jews  have  preserved  monotheism.  ^Japheth^has  en- 
tered into  the  blessings  of  Shem,  and  his~~descendent8 
control  the  world  to-day. 

Chapter  ten  gives  an  account  of  the  generations  of 
Noah,  the  second  head  of  the  race,  just  as  chapter  five 
gave  the  generations  of  Adam,  the  first  head  of  the  race. 
These  genealogies  are  given  to  show  the  Messianic  line.. 
TThese  taWfig  tnay  be  loo^edTupon,  also,  as  God's  farewell 
to  the  nations,  ere  He  chooses  Abraham  ;  and  yet  they 
are  a  loving  reminder  that  the  nations  are  His,  even  as 
Israel,  and  that  He  is  their  Creator.  This  list  of  names 
is  used  almost  unchanged  in  lJI!hronicl€!S,  showing  that 
its  correctness  was  recognized  up  to  that  time. 

This  chapter  sets  forth  the  beginning  of  nations.  We 
have  here  the  unity^  division,  and  dispersion  of  the  race. 
The  fact  of  the  unity  of  the  race  is  also  set  forth.  All 
mankind  has  sprung  from  one  common  source.  God 
hath  made  of  one  blood  all  nations  that  dwell  on  the 
earth  (Acts  xvii.  26).  This  is  an  argument  for  the 
brotherhood  of  man. 

Chapter  eleven  describes  the  building  of  the  tower  of 
Babel,  and  really  belongs  to  chapter  t«n.  God's  com- 
mand to  Noah  and  his  descendents  to  scatter  and  people 
the  earth  was  evidently  disobeyed,  for  here  we  find  con- 
centrated ungodliness,  self-seeking,  and  defiance  against 
God.  Men  would  make  a  name  for  themselves  rather 
than  glorify  God.  God  commanded  diffusion  ;  men  de- 
termined on  concentration.  The  building  of  the  tower 
of  Babel  was  a  manifestation  of  the  defiance  of  God's 
command,  the  confusion  of  tongues  an  evidence  of  God's 
determination  that  His  command  to  dispeise  should  be 
carried  out. 


42  The  Book  of  Genesis 

The  confusion  of  tongues  should  be  studied  in  connec- 
tion with  the  gift  of  tongues  on  the  day  of  Pentecost 
(Acts  ii.)  and  Revelation  vii.  9.  Where  sin  abounds, 
grace  much  more  abounds. 

One  cannot  read  the  genealogy  in  this  chapter  without 
being  impressed  with  tUftilecisaseof  longevity  since  the 
flood^^  It  seems  that  the  fartheramiy'Wrferfrom  Eden, 
'tlie^horter  is  the  life  of  man.  ''Dying,  thou  shalt  die." 
Methuselah  lived  nine  hundred  and  sixty-nine  years ;  the 
longest  life  in  this  genealogy  (chap,  xi.)  is  about  five 
hundred  years;  David  (Psalm  xc.)  says,  "The  days  of 
our  years  are  threescore  years  and  ten ; "  the  average 
length  of  life  to-day  is  thirty-three  years. 

Notes  on  "  The  Nations  "  .- 

1.  Origin  of  Nations,  Genesis  ix.  18-x.  32. 

2.  Scattering  of  the  Nations,  Genesis  xi.  1-9. 

3.  Babylon    and    Egypt  founded  by  Ham,    Genesis 

x.  6-20. 

4.  Assyria  founded  by  Shem,  Genesis  x.  11, 12,  21,  31. 

5.  European  Nation  founded  by  Japheth,  Genesis  x. 

2-5. 

r  Israel,  Genesis  xii.  2. 

6.  Abraham  the  father  of  }  Many     Nations,     Genesis 

(     xvii.  4-6. 

7.  All  the  Nations  blessed  in  Abraham,  Genesis  xii.  3  ; 

xxii.  18. 

8.  Nations  derived  from   Abrahamic  stock.   Genesis 

xix.  36-38  ;  xxv.  12-16  ;  xxv.  1-4 ;  xxxvi.  6-8. 
An  interesting  study  of  the  doctrine  of  sin  may  be 
found  in  the  chapters  we   have   just  covered  (chaps, 
iii.-xi.)  : 

I.     Its  Source  (chap,  iii.). 
II.     Its  Development  (chaps,  iv.,  v.). 

1.     In  the  family,  Cain  and  Abel  (chap.  iv.). 


The  Development  of  Sin  in  the  Race        43 

2.  In  society — the  two  lines  (chap.  v.). 

3.  In  the  race  (chaps,  v.,  vi.). 

III.     The  Penalty  and  Punishment  of  Sin  (chaps,  vi.-xi,). 

1.  The  flood  (chaps,  vi.-ix.). 

2.  The  dispersion  (chap.  x.). 

3.  The  confusion  of  tongues — tower  of  Babel 

(chap.  xi.). 


PART  II 
History  of  the  Patriarchs 


The  second  main  division  of  Genesis  is  occupied 
■with  the  history  of  the  patriarchs  Abraham, 
Isaac,  Jacob,  and  also  with  the  life  story  of  Joseph. 
Our  study,  then,  of  these  chapters  will  be  grouped 
around  these  four  great  characters  :  Abraham, 
lii.-xxv.  ;  Isaac,  xxi.-xxviii.  ;  Jacob,  xxvii.-l. ; 
Joseph,  xxxvii.-l. 


Abraham,  the  Father  of  the  Faithful 
{Chapters  xii.-xxv.) 

WITH  Abraham  begins  the  third  probation  of 
the  race  (cf.  Adam,  the  first ;  Noah,  the 
second).  The  study  of  Abraham's  life  is  ex- 
ceedingly important.  He  alone,  of  all  men,  is  called  the 
'' Friend  of  God."  He  is  recognized  as  the  founder  of 
the  three  great  religions  of  the  world  :  Judaism,  Chris- 
tianity, and  Mohammedanism.  Of  course,  he  is  recog- 
nized as  the  founder  of  Christianity  only  in  the  sense 
that  Christ  is  of  the  seed  of  Abraham.  The  importance 
of  Abraham  in  Genesis  is  emphasized  because  of  the  re- 
lation in  which  he  stands  to  the  Jewish  people. 

From  this  point  on,  our  attention  is  to  be  fixed,  not 
upon  individuals,  but  upon  a  chosen  people.  Genesis 
i.-xi.  has  been  preparatory  for  all  that  follows  after 
Genesis  xii.  The  Cainites  are  all  to  go  on  their  own  way, 
building  their  towers,  speaking  against  heaven,  calling 
their  lauds  and  cities  by  their  own  names,  with  the 
inward  thought  that  they  would  continue  forever  ;  while 
God  is  gathering  out  of  the  earth  a  people  for  His  name, 
who  confess  that  they  are  pilgrims  and  strangers  in  the 
earth,  and  are  seeking  a  better  country — that  is  a 
heavenly  land  (Hebrews  xi.  13-16). 

The  history  of  Abraham  centers  around  a  series  of 
manifestations  of  God,  seven  in  number,  each  relating 
itself  to  some  point  in  the  patriarch's  character  that 
needed  strengthening,  or  reaffirming  a  promise  already 
given  or  a  covenant  made,  and  always  resulting  in  an  ad- 

47 


48  The  Book  of  Genesis 

vanced  step  in  the  religious  experience  of  Abraham. 
After  visions  two,  three,  four,  six,  and  seven,  there  is 
recorded  an  episode,  either  historical  or  religious,  setting 
forth  some  lapse  or  advance  with  reference  to  the 
patriarch's  relation  to  God.  The  whole  life  of  Abraham, 
then,  can  be  grouped  around  seven  divine  manifestations, 
and  five  episodes  in  connection  therewith. 

I.  The  First  Manifestation  of  God  to  Abraham 
(li.  31-xii.  5).  This  manifestation  is  connected  with  the 
call  of  Abraham  to  separate  himself  from  idolatry  (cf. 
Joshua  xxiv.  3-15  ;  Nehemiah  ix.  7)  and  to  surrender  his 
life,  with  all  of  its  plans  and  purposes,  to  God  (xii.  1-4 ; 
cf.  Hebrews  xi.  8-17). 

Abraham,  apparently,  had  two  calls  (xi.  31  ;  xii.  1 ;  cf. 
Acts  vii.  2-4  ;  Isaiah  li.  2).  The  response  to  the  first 
call  seems  to  have  been  partial.  When  God  called  the 
second  time,  Abraham  surrendered  completely  (xii.  4,  5). 

A  threefold  blessing  is  promised  Abraham  :  a  land,  a 
seed,  a  blessing  (xii.  1-3).  He  had  left  the  land  of  his 
fathers,  now  God  would  be  with  him  and  be  his  Father 
(2  Corinthians  vi.  14-17).  Though  one  of  the  youngest 
of  the  family,  his  name  would  be  made  great,  and  the 
family  blessing  should  come  through  him.  Though  child- 
less, his  seed  would  be  innumerable.  As  compensation 
for  the  surrender  of  his  life  to  God,  he  would  be  the 
source  of  blessing  to  all  the  families  of  the  earth. 

As  God  called  Abraham,  so  He  calls  us  to  separation 
(2  Corinthians  vi.  14-17),  to  surrender  (Romans  xii.  5), 
and  to  put  the  plans  of  our  lives  in  His  hands  (Isaiah 
Iv.  7  ;  Ephesians  ii.  10).  How  do  we  respond  to  this  call  ? 
Partially?  If  so,  there  will  be  no  full  blessing  or  vision. 
Abraham  did  not  receive  a  full  vision  until  he  had  made 
the  full  surrender.  If  we  fully  surrender,  then  God  will 
make  us  useful  and  a  blessing  to  others. 


Abraham,  the  Father  of  the  Faithful  49 


^    2 

>        oi 


'-^^^^^^s> 


K<< 


^  ^ 


"^^."*. 


^o  The  Book  of  Genesis 

2.  The  Second  Manifestation  of  God  to  Abraham 
(xii.  7-9).  This  vision  of  God  was  necessary,  probably, 
because  of  what  is  said  in  verse  six — "  The  Cauaauite  was 
then  in  the  land."  Courage  was  needed  in  the  face  of 
danger,  if  Abraham  was  to  possess  the  land.  The  mes- 
sage of  God  is  short :  "Unto  thee  will  I  give  this  land." 
There  were  difficulties  involved  in  the  fulfillment  of  this 
promise  :  giants  were  in  possession  of  the  land. 

Abraham's  response  to  the  call  of  God  was  manifested 
in  building  an  altar  and  in  pitching  his  tent.  The 
"altar"  indicated  his  dependence  upon  God,  and  the 
"tent"  his  surrender  to  a  pilgrim  life.  His  tent  was 
pitched  with  Bethel,  the  house  of  God,  in  front  of 
him,  and  with  Hai,  a  heap  of  ruins,  behind  him.  Like 
Moses,  he  looked  to  that  city  that  had  foundations 
(Hebrews  xi.  15,  16  ;  Philippians  iii.  13). 

There  are  practical  lessons  here  for  us.  We,  too,  have 
enemies  who  contest  the  possession  of  our  spiritual  in- 
heritance. These  are  the  "wicked  principalities  and 
powers  in  the  heavenly  places"  (Ephesiaus  vi.  12-18). 
Our  strength,  too,  must  come  through  means.  We  have 
need  to  build  an  altar  of  prayer  (Luke  xviii.  1-8  ;  Isaiah 
xl.  28-31).  When  tempted  to  be  dazzled  by  the  glory 
of  the  world  and  thus  hindered  in  our  pilgrim  journey, 
we,  as  Abraham,  must  look  away  to  the  glories  of  our 
eternal  home,  and  pitch  our  tents  towards  that  city  "  not 
made  with  hands,  eternal  in  the  heavens"  (2  Corinthians 
V.  1). 

The  First  Episode — Egypt  (xii.  10-xiii.  13 ;  cf.  chap.  xx.). 
In  a  sense,  Abraham  backslides  ;  he  deviates  from  the 
chosen  path.  We  must  expect  to  find  temptations, 
although  we  are  in  the  path  of  God's  choosing.  Even 
Jesus  Christ  was  not  free  from  temptation.  But  tempta- 
tion is  not  sin,  nor  need  it  become  so. 

This  is  the  first  mention  of  Egypt  in  the  Bible.     Egypt 


Abraham,  the  Father  of  the  Faithful         51 

means  ' ' to  bind, "  "to  straighten, "  "to  trouble. "  Egypt 
is  always  a  type  of  the  world.  "Going  down  to  Egypt " 
was  not  altogether  like  going  back  to  Ur  of  the  Chaldees. 
It  was  a  kind  of  midway  experience  between  the  old  life 
and  the  new.  Egypt  was  not  altogether  irreligious,  but 
it  was  not  spiritual.  The  influence  of  this  side-stepping 
is  seen  in  Abraham's  having  to  resort  to  lying,  ex- 
pediency, and  compromise  while  in  Egypt.  The  friend 
of  God  has  become  the  servant  in  the  palace  of  Pharaoh. 
How  are  the  mighty  fallen  ! 

Abraham's  statement  regarding  his  wife  being  his 
sister  was  a  half  truth,  for  she  was  his  half-sister  (xx.  12). 
A  half  truth,  however,  is  a  lie  when  it  is  uttered  with 
intent  to  deceive,  as  was  clearly  the  case  with  Abraham. 
It  is  interesting  to  note  in  this  connection  that  even  as  far 
back  as  Abraham's  time,  the  marriage  vow  was  held  so 
sacred  among  the  Egyptians  that  in  order  to  possess 
another  man's  wife,  the  husband  must  first  be  killed. 
According  to  twentieth  century  moral  standards,  a  man's 
wife  may  be  taken  from  him  while  the  husband  still  lives, 
and  yet  we  talk  about  evolution  and  the  progress  in  the 
civilization  of  the  race.  Abraham's  selfishness  is  shown 
by  the  fact  that  he  was  willing  to  sacrifice  his  wife's 
honour  to  save  hia  own  life. 

Just  why  God  allowed  Abraham  to  go  down  into 
Egypt,  we  do  not  know.  He  lets  us  follow  our  own  way 
sometimes,  that  we  may  learn  a  needed  lesson.  The  cause 
of  the  descent  into  Egypt  was  outwardly  the  famine,  but, 
inwardly  and  really,  it  was  a  lack  of  faith  in  God. 

Abraham  prospered  when  in  Egypt,  but  he  was  not 
happy,  and  the  possessions  he  gained  while  there  caused 
him  great  trouble  in  the  future.  He  learned  that  it  was 
better  to  be  in  Canaan  with  famine  than  in  Egypt  with 
prosperity  ;  that  it  was  better  to  "be  a  doorkeeper  in  the 
house  of  the  Lord  than  to  dwell  in  the  tents  of  wicked- 


52  The  Book  of  Genesis 

ness."  He  lost  his  fellowship  with  God,  and  his  influence 
with  his  family.  He  was  reproached  by  the  heathen  for 
his  inconsistency  of  conduct.  His  extreme  selfishness 
was  shown  in  being  willing  to  sacrifice  the  honour  of  his 
wife  to  save  his  own  life.  He  must  ever  afterwards  have 
seen  that  look  of  reproach  in  the  face  of  Sarah,  as  she  re- 
called this  incident.  Abraham  had  no  vision,  no  altar, 
no  worship  while  he  was  in  Egypt.  It  was  a  sore  mis- 
take he  made,  and  he  suffered  keenly  for  it. 

There  are  instructive  lessons  in  this  episode  in  the  path 
of  Abraham  for  us.  No  child  of  God  is  free  from  tempta- 
tion, yet  no  one  needs  to  yield  to  temptation.  Not 
temptation,  but  yielding  to  it,  is  sin.  There  is  great 
danger  to  the  child  of  God  in  stepping  back  half-way, 
not  necessarily  altogether,  into  the  old  life,  but  a  step 
down  from  the  point  already  reached  in  spiritual  experi- 
ence. The  results  are  compromise  in  living,  silenced 
testimony,  lack  of  influence  for  God,  no  communion  or 
fellowship  with  Him,  the  reproach  and  shame  of  the 
world,  and  the  loss  of  joy  and  peace  in  one's  own  soul. 
We,  with  Abraham,  must  learn  the  lesson  that  God  is 
well  able,  without  our  diplomacy,  to  carry  out  His  own 
plans. 

Abraham  finally  returned  to  Bethel.  Note  the  expres- 
sion, "  went  down  "  to  Egypt,  but  "  went  up  "  to  Bethel. 
He  went  back  to  the  starting  point.  That  was  a  brave 
thing  to  do  in  the  face  of  his  family,  servants,  and  house- 
hold. And  that  is  the  thing  for  the  Christian  to  do — to 
go  back  to  the  point  he  left,  unto  the  place  of  the  altar, 
and  do  the  first  works  over  again — "back  to  Bethel." 

The  sad  thing  about  this  episode  is  that  the  time  spent 
by  Abraham  in  Egypt  was  lost  time  and  could  never  be 
regained.  The  time  spent  by  the  children  of  Israel  in 
Egypt  is  reckoned  as  lost  time.  The  day  of  their  de- 
liverance was  to  be  the  beginning  of  years  to  them 


Abraham,  the  Father  of  the  Faithful  53 

(Exodus  xii.  2).  We  do  not  really  begin  to  live  until  we 
are  made  partakers  of  the  life  of  God  (John  iii.  3,  5 ; 
xvii.  3 ;  1  Timothy  v.  6). 

Lot — A  Study  in  Backsliding — Another  Episode  (xiii. 
5-13).  The  strife  between  the  herdmen  of  Lot  and 
Abraham  arose  over  the  goods  they  had  gotten  while 
they  were  in  Egypt.  It  is  supposed  by  some  that  Lot  got 
his  wife  there,  too,  and  she  was  the  cause  of  much  of  his 
trouble.  The  name  Lot  is  said  to  indicate  "the  man 
with  the  veil  on  "  (cf.  2  Corinthians  iv.  4).  Certainly  his 
eyes  were  blinded  to  real  spiritual  values. 

This  incident  gives  us  an  insight  into  the  selfishness 
of  Lot  and  the  magnanimity  of  Abraham.  Lot  chose  the 
best  of  the  laud  because  it  was  good  for  cattle.  He  was 
too  short-sighted  to  see  that  it  was  bad  for  his  family. 
He  chose  "all  the  plain  "  (xiii.  10)  because  it  was  so  at- 
tractive for  its  beauty.  Later  on  we  find  that  this  plain 
was  doomed  (xix.  17),  and  Lot  was  bidden  flee  from  it. 
It  was  to  be  abandoned  for  its  danger,  and  was  finally 
overthrown  because  of  its  wickedness  (xix.  25). 

Lot  is  an  interesting  study  in  backsliding. 

Notice  the  gradual  process.  He  beheld  (ver.  10)  ;  chose 
(11)  ;  pitched  his  tent  towards  (12)  ;  dwelt  in  (xiv.  12)  ; 
sat  in  the  gate  (xix.  1)  ;  lingered  (xix.  15,  16)  ;  and  was 
loath  to  leave  Sodom  (chap.  xix.).  He  first  went  to 
sojourn,  then  he  continued,  and  finally  dwelt,  in  Sodom. 

Satan's  strategy  is  here  illustrated.  He  does  not  plunge 
men  all  at  once  into  sin.  He  leads  them  gradually,  step 
by  step.  How  careful  the  Christian  needs  to  be  in  choos- 
ing a  place  of  residence.  Lot  lost  his  family  and  almost 
his  own  soul ;  indeed,  we  would  have  thought  that  was 
lost  too,  had  it  not  been  for  the  reference  in  2  Peter  ii.  7,  8. 

Abraham's  magnanimity  and  peaceful  disposition  is 
here  beautifully  set  forth.  He  is  a  good  illustration  of 
the  apostle's  injunction,  "  Let  the  peace  of  God  arbitrate 


^4  The  Book  of  Genesis 

in  your  hearts"  (Colossians  iii.  15),  aud,  "The  servant 
of  the  Lord  must  not  strive"  (2  Timothy  ii.  24j.  How 
shall  quarrels  between  Christians  be  settled  ?  Shall  we 
go  to  law  (1  Corinthians  vi.  1-8)  ?  Or  shall  we  yield  as 
Abraham,  trusting  God  to  do  for  us  that  which  is  right 
and  just? 

3.  The  Third  Manifestation  of  God  to  Abraham 
(xiii.  14-17).  This  vision  of  God  was  granted  to  Abra- 
ham for  the  reassurance  of  the  promised  blessing.  It  was 
doubtless  to  comfort  him  in  the  reaction  which  he  must 
have  suffered  from  his  experience  in  Egypt  and  with 
Lot.  It  was  also  to  reward  him  for  his  unselfishness  in 
connection  with  the  Lot  episode.  A  personal  element  is 
introduced  into  this  reassured  promise.  The  land  which 
had  before  been  promised  to  his  seed  (xii.  7)  is  now 
promised  to  Abraham  personally.  The  servants  of  Abra- 
ham, who,  no  doubt,  had  witnessed  the  controversy  be- 
tween Abraham  and  Lot,  may  have  been  tempted  to 
think  that  Abraham  was  foolish  in  allowing  his  nephew 
to  get  the  advantage  over  him  in  the  choice  of  land.  God 
would  teach  them,  as  well  as  His  servant  Abraham,  that 
the  "meek  shall  inherit  the  earth."  We  are  told  in 
xiii.  10  that  "Lot  lifted  up  his  eyes  and  beheld  all  the 
plain  of  Jordan. "  We  are  here  told  (ver.  14)  that  God  said 
to  Abraham,  "  Lift  up  now  thine  eyes  and  look  from  the 
place  where  thou  art  northward,  and  southward,  and 
eastward,  and  westward  :  For  all  the  land  which  thou 
seest,  to  thee  will  I  give  it,  aud  to  thy  seed  forever." 

The  Second  Episode— The  Battle  of  the  Kings  (chap.  xiv.). 
It  is  not  long  since  that  destructive  higher  criticism 
sought  to  do  away  with  the  historicity  of  the  events  nar- 
rated in  this  chapter,  but  archeologists,  in  their  excava- 
tions, have  brought  to  light  hieroglyphic  writings  which 
clearly  establish  their  historical  basis. 


Abraham,  the  Father  of  the  Faithful         55 

This  incideut  shows  Abraham  as  a  soldier,  fighting 
God's  battles,  as  a  man  of  generosity,  looking  after  the 
needs  of  others  rather  than  his  own  (ver.  24),  as  unworldly, 
in  his  refusing  to  accept  the  spoil  of  the  battle,  which 
action  declared  that  he  was  not  in  the  work  of  God  for 
the  money,  consequently  the  spoils  were  of  no  interest  to 
him.  This  stand  he  had  taken  in  prayer  and  dedication 
to  God  (ver.  22  ;  cf.  Malachi  i.  10).  This  incident  also 
manifested  Abraham's  faith  in  God  and  zeal  for  His 
glory.  He  wanted  no  man  to  say  that  he,  rather  than 
God,  had  made  Abraham  rich.  He  refused  the  gifts  of 
the  king  of  Sodom  because  they  were  material,  but  re- 
ceived the  blessings  of  Melchizedek,  king  of  Salem,  be- 
cause they  were  spiritual.  He  believed  that  God  would 
honour  him  according  to  His  word,  and  therefore  he 
would  acknowledge  indebtedness  to  God  only. 

Melchizedek.  The  introduction  of  this  mysterious  per- 
son (Melchizedek)  into  the  narrative  is  interesting.  It 
shows  that  even  away  back  in  that  dim  age  there  were 
traces  of  monotheism.  A  study  of  the  first  chapter  of 
Eomans  would  indicate  that  the  race  began  monotheistic, 
and  by  reason  of  sin,  became  polytheistic.  Not  evolu- 
tion, but  devolution,  characterizes  the  religious  history 
of  the  race. 

Melchizedek  is  mentioned  three  times  in  the  Scriptures : 
in  history  (Genesis  xiv.) ;  in  prophecy  (Psalm  ex.)  ;  in 
fulfillment  (Hebrews  v.-vii.).  There  is  great  need  to-day 
of  the  study  of  the  types  of  Scripture.  Head  the  rebuke 
of  the  writer  to  the  Hebrews  (v.  10-14). 

The  reference  here  to  tithing  is  important.  Tithing  is 
an  acknowledgment  of  God's  ownership  in  what  we  give, 
and  a  challenge  to  His  faithfulness  in  what  we  keep. 
Tithing  was  evidently  in  existence  before  the  law  of 
Moses.  This  is  the  first  mention  of  it,  and  it  is  not  Jew- 
ish, or  legal. 


^6  The  Book  of  Genesis 

The  "first  mention  "  of  things  in  the  Bible  is  important 
to  notice,  because,  as  a  rule,  the  characteristic  features 
mentioned  in  connection  therewith  are  usually  true  of 
every  other  mention  of  the  same  thing  throughout  the 
Scriptures,  although  more  fully  developed. 

The  God  of  Abraham.  It  is  interesting  to  notice,  as 
a  deduction  from  this  chapter,  Abraham's  conception  of 
God  as  revealed  in  this  book:  "He  is  the  Possessor 
of  the  heavens  and  the  earth  (xiv.  22  ;  xxiv.  3)  ;  the  Sov- 
ereign Judge  of  the  nations  (xv.  14),  and  of  all  the  earth 
(xviii.  25) ;  the  Disposer  of  all  the  powers  of  nature 
(xviii.  14 ;  xix.  24 ;  xx.  17ff.) ;  the  exalted  (xiv.  22)  and 
eternal  One  (xxi.  33)  ;  the  only  God,  a  personal  God  in 
closeness  of  fellowship  with  His  people  (xxiv.  40,  48).  He 
is  just  (xviii.  25),  righteous  (xviii.  19),  faithful  (xxiv.  27), 
wise  (xx.  6),  good  (xix.  19),  and  merciful  (xx.  6). 

4.  The  Fourth  Manifestation  of  God  to  Abraham — 
The  Promise  of  a  Seed  and  the  Land  Reaffirmed  (xv. 
1-21).  This  divine  manifestation  was  doubtless  for  the 
encouragement  of  Abraham  after  the  great  surrender  he 
had  made  in  connection  with  Lot's  choice  and  the  battle 
of  the  kings.  It  was  also  doubtless  an  encouragement  to 
the  patriarch  in  the  reaction  which  he  must  have  suf- 
fered from  the  tenseness  and  strain  of  the  events  of 
chapter  fourteen. 

There  is  an  advance  here  in  the  promised  blessing. 
Eeference  is  again  made  to  the  promised  land,  and  its 
specific  boundaries  are  mentioned  in  connection  there- 
with. It  was  to  be  a  future  possession  of  Abraham's 
seed. 

Then,  again,  Abraham  was  promised  a  son  out  of  his 
own  loins.  Before  he  had  been  promised  a  son,  but  not 
in  the  sense  in  which  this  promise  is  made.  The  prom- 
ised seed  should  not  be  Ishmael  nor  Eliezer  (cf.  for  ex- 


Abraham,  the  Father  of  the  Faithful  57 

pansiou  of  the  promise  xii.  1-3,  7  ;  xiii.  14-16).  Abra- 
ham is  herein  shown  that  the  promise  is  to  extend  beyond 
himself ;  that  the  nation  of  which  he  is  the  father  and  its 
experiences  are  included  in  the  promise.  Abraham  had 
asked  two  questions  :  regarding  a  son  (ver.  3)  and  a  land 
(ver.  8).     These  two  questions  God  answers. 

So  far  we  have  had  the  Adamic  Covenant  (chap,  iii.), 
the  Noahic  Covenant  (chap.  ix.).  Now  we  have  the 
Abrahamic  Covenant  in  this  chapter. 

The  Righteousness  of  Faith.  Abraham's  attitude 
towards  the  promise  of  God  is  that  of  unwavering  belief 
and  faith,  and  this  "was  counted  to  him  for  righteous- 
ness." Here  we  have  another  "first  mention" — faith. 
"Abraham  believed  God."  This  means  that  Abraham 
said  "Amen"  to  God's  promise — "What  God  says  shall 
be."  God  had  told  Abraham  that  out  of  his  loins,  and 
by  Sarah  his  wife,  should  come  nations,  children  as  num- 
berless as  the  dust  of  the  earth  and  the  stars  of  the 
heavens.  Natural  laws  were  against  the  fulfillment  of 
such  a  promise.  God  made  no  explanations  as  to  how 
the  promise  should  be  fulfilled.  This  called  for  faith  on 
the  part  of  Abraham,  which  he  exercised. 

Here  are  three  great  Christian  words  which  we  do 
well  to  note  :  "believed,"  "counted,"  "righteousness." 
Paul  tells  us  that  this  experience  of  Abraham  was  for  our 
sakes  (iv.  23,  25  ;  Galatians  iii.  6). 

Faith  is  resting  upon  the  word  of  the  Lord  ;  acting 
upon  it.  Abram  showed  his  faith  by  changing  his  name 
to  Abraham,  which  means  "  father  of  a  multitude,"  from 
that  very  moment.  He  also  changed  his  wife's  name 
from  Sara  to  Sarah.  Faith  means  also  to  live  according 
to  the  word  and  promise.  For  twenty-four  years  Abra- 
ham saw  no  indication  of  the  fulfillment  of  this  promise. 
He  believed  against  all  odds.  To  believe  when  we  can- 
not see,  that  is  fiiith.     So  we  are  called  upon  to  believe 


58  The  Book  of  Genesis 

God's  testimony  regarding  His  Son,  and  our  faith  is 
counted  for  righteousness. 

The  Third  Episode — Hagar  and  Ishmael  (xvi.  1-16). 
Sarah  had  become  impatient  because  of  the  long  delay  in 
the  fulfillment  of  God's  promise.  She  conceives  of  a 
scheme  which  she  thinks  will  help  God  to  fulfill  His 
promise.  According  to  the  moral  standards  of  the  time, 
Sarah  did  no  wrong  in  giving  her  maid  to  Abraham  to 
wife.  That  was  the  custom  of  the  day  and  was  really 
magnanimous  on  her  part.  Of  course,  it  was  a  violation 
of  God's  purpose  and  intention  in  marriage,  which  was 
monogamy — that  man  should  be  the  husband  of  one  wife 
(Genesis  ii.  24). 

Probably  Abraham  was  more  to  blame  than  Sarah  for 
listening  to  and  complying  with  her  suggestions.  Visions 
of  God  had  been  granted  to  Abraham  that  Sarah  had 
not  witnessed.  Abraham  should  consequently  have  been 
the  more  spiritual  of  the  two.  Then,  again,  the  prom- 
ised heir  was  to  be  of  the  seed  of  Abraham,  but  the 
promise  had  not  yet  included  Sarah,  specifically,  as  the 
mother  of  the  promised  son.  Impatient  waiting  was  tell- 
ing on  Sarah,  and  Abraham  apparently  caught  the  spirit 
of  impatience. 

The  result  of  not  waiting  for  God's  time  was  that  a 
child  was  born  of  Hagar,  the  bondmaid  of  Sarah.  She 
was  doubtless  a  product  of  Egypt  and  was  gotten  when 
Abraham  and  Sarah  went  down  there  to  sojourn.  Here 
is  another  illustration  of  more  trouble  from  Egypt. 

There  are  some  practical  lessons  we  may  learn  from 
this  interruption — the  story  of  Hagar  and  Ishmael.  We 
should  wait  God's  time.  If  He  tarry,  let  us  wait  for 
Him.  "We  should  never  listen  to  unspiritual  people,  to 
worldly-wise  men,  nor  even  to  unspiritual  Christians. 
Sometimes  our  dearest  can  advise  us  wrongly  (Deute- 
ronomy xiii.  6-8).     "We  should  never  use  wrong  means 


Abraham,  the  Father  of  the  Faithful         59 

for  right  ends.  Our  attention  is  drawn  to  the  awful  re- 
sults of  one  sin,  for  the  whole  of  the  Mohammedan  prob- 
lem to-day,  with  its  opposition  to  Christianity,  is  the 
fruit  of  this  one  sin.  The  flesh  and  the  spirit  can  never 
get  on  well  together  (Galatiaus  iv.  17-23).  Eesults  may 
be  gotten  without  God's  help  or  approval,  but  they  al- 
ways bring  trouble. 

The  divine  eye  is  an  eternal  detective.  God  knows 
and  sees  details.  Did  not  God  know  that  Hagar  was 
''  Sarah's  maid  "  ?  This  chapter  is  not  a  mere  household 
incident,  but  a  record  given  to  show  the  processes  through 
which  Abraham  became  father  to  the  heir  of  the  prom- 
ised seed,  even  though  the  promise  was  long  delayed. 
There  is  always  something  miraculous  in  connection  with 
the  birth  of  the  promised  seed. 

5.  Fifth  Manifestation  of  God  to  Abraham  (xvii. 
1-27).  This  appearance  of  God  to  the  patriarch  is  for 
the  sake  of  emphasizing  the  promised  blessing  of  a  seed 
and  a  land,  particular  reference  being  made  to  the  seed. 
There  was  need  of  just  such  encouragement  as  was  con- 
veyed in  this  theophany  to  Abraham,  for  over  twenty 
years  had  passed  since  the  covenant  in  chapter  fifteen, 
and  thirteen  years  since  the  birth  of  Ishmael.  There  had 
apparently  been  no  word  from  God  regarding  his  prom- 
ised son  and  heir  during  these  years,  and  Abraham  is 
now  about  ninety-nine  years  old.  Naturally  the  obstacles 
in  the  way  of  fulfillment  of  the  promise  of  a  seed  that 
should  be  as  numberless  as  the  sands  and  the  stars  were 
bigger  than  ever.  Satan  himself  would  be  very  active 
in  seeking  to  put  doubt  into  the  mind  of  Abraham,  es- 
pecially in  connection  with  the  line  of  the  promised  seed. 

It  is  for  this  reason,  doubtless,  that  the  name  "El 
Shaddi,"  which  means  the  ''all-sufldcient,  self-sufficient, 
almighty  God,"  is  the  name  given  to  Jehovah  in  this 


6o  The  Book  of  Genesis 

manifestation.  The  promise  in  this  vision  includes  mul- 
titudes of  people  (ver.  6),  kings  and  princes  (vers.  16,  20). 
God  would  have  Abraham  know  that  His  power  and 
ability  to  fulfill  His  promise  is  absolutely  unlimited. 
This  is  a  lesson  we,  too,  need  to  learn. 

There  are  seven  things  of  which  God  is  independent : 

First — Of  numbers.  One  with  God  is  a  majority.  One 
shall  chase  a  thousand,  and  two  shall  put  ten  thousand 
to  flight  (cf.  Leviticus  xxvi.  8  ;  Deuteronomy  xxxii.  30  ; 
Judges  vii.  4-7  ;  2  Kings  vii.  3-7). 

Second — Of  money,  wealth,  and  property.  The  silver 
is  His  and  the  gold  is  His  (cf.  1  Kings  xvii.  12  ;  Haggai 
ii.  8). 

Third — Of  time.  What  it  would  take  a  man  a  hundred 
or  a  thousand  years  to  accomplish,  God  can  do  in  a  mo- 
ment or  a  day  (cf.  Psalm  xc.  4  ;  Isaiah  Ixvi.  8 ;  2  Peter 
iii.  8). 

Fourth — Of  man's  wisdom  (1  Corinthians  i.  20,  21 ; 
ii.  6-8). 

Fifth — Of  human  power  (Psalm  ii.  ;  Jeremiah  xxxii, 
17  ;  Zechariah  iv.  6  ;  Daniel  ii.  20-22). 

Sixth — Of  natural  law,  that  is,  of  the  ordinary  opera- 
tion of  natural  forces  (Exodus  xiv.  22 — The  Bed  Sea  ; 
Daniel  iii.  19-25— The  fiery  furnace  ;  vi.  22— The  lions' 
den). 

Seventh— Of  all  ordinary  means  (2  Corinthians  vii.  6  ; 
xix.  35). 

The  previous  promise  in  connection  with  the  promised 
land  is  increased — it  is  to  be  an  everlasting  possession. 
The  covenant  is  not  only  with  Abraham  and  his  seed,  but 
with  their  children  forever.  A  sign  of  circumcision  is 
given,  not  only  for  Abraham  and  his  children  then  liv- 
ing, but  as  a  sign  for  the  children  not  yet  born.  Here  is 
another  call  for  faith,  for  Abraham  himself  was  almost  a 
hundred  years  old. 


Abraham,  the  Father  of  the  Faithful  6l 

This  promise  sets  a  time  for  the  birth  of  Isaac 
(ver.  21 ;  cf.  xxi.  2),  and  names  Sarah  as  the  mother 
of  Isaac  (vers.  15-21). 

Both  Abraham  (xvii.  17,  18)  and  Sarah  (xviii.  11-15) 
laugh  at  the  announcement  of  so  great  and  glorious  a 
promise,  but  the  laugh  of  credulity  passed  into  the  laugh 
of  faith  :  "  By  faith  even  Sarah  herself  received  power  to 
conceive  seed  when  she  was  past  age,  since  she  counted 
him  faithful  who  had  promised  ;  wherefore  also  there 
sprang  of  one,  and  him  as  good  as  dead,  so  many  as  the 
stars  of  heaven  in  multitude,  and  as  the  sand,  which 
is  by  the  seashore,  innumerable"  (Hebrews  xi.  11,  12, 
E.  v.).  Isaac's  name,  which  means  *' laughter,"  the 
change  in  Abraham's  (xvii.  5)  and  Sarah's  name  (xvii. 
15)  are  indications  of  their  faith  in  God  (cf.  Eomans  iv. 
13-22). 

What  need  there  is  of  such  faith  to-day  !  What  is 
more  scarce  in  Christianity  than  faith  ?  "  When  the  Son 
of  man  cometh,  shall  he  find  faith  on  the  earth  1 ' '  How 
do  we  treat  God's  promises'?  Devoutness  is  common; 
piety  is  plentiful ;  contempt  for  evil  is  abundant ;  right- 
eousness is  everywhere  manifest ;  but  faith — *' Who  hath 
believed  our  report?"  "Is  anything  too  hard  for  the 
Lord?" 

6.  The  Sixth  Manifestation  of  God  to  Abraham 
(chaps,  xviii.,  xix.).  These  chapters  record  the  visit  of 
the  three  angels,  one  of  whom  is  evidently  the  second 
Person  in  the  Trinity,  to  Abraham  in  his  tent.  These 
heavenly  messengers  conveyed  to  the  patriarch  the  im- 
pending doom  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah. 

This  incident  is  more  than  a  lesson  in  hospitality,  even 
though  an  exhortation  to  practice  that  grace  (Hebrews 
xiii.  2)  is  based  on  this  incident.  We  have  here  an 
iutimation  of  the  incarnation — the  doctrine  of  the  Angel 


62  The  Book  of  Genesis 

of  the  Lord.  When  a  Jew  to-day  tells  us  that  we 
blaspheme  when  we  pray  to  Jesus,  we  may  ask  him  who 
that  was  to  whom  Abraham  prayed  in  these  chapters. 

We  have  here  given  a  glimpse  iuto  the  intimate  friend- 
ship existing  between  God  and  Abraham,  and  a  revela- 
tion of  the  character  of  the  patriarch.  We  are  told  that 
whom  God  foreknew,  He  did  predestinate.  God's  friend- 
ship with  Abraham  was  based  on  what  He  knew  Abraham 
to  be  and  what  he  would  do  (xviii.  19 ;  cf.  John  xv.  14, 15  ; 
1  Corinthians  ii.  10  ;  Psalm  xxv.  14). 

The  question  may  be  asked  here,  Why  did  God  reveal 
the  doom  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah  to  Abraham?  In 
reply  we  may  say  : 

First.  Because  Abraham  had  been  the  depository  of 
blessing  for  the  nations.  The  patriarch  had  undoubtedly 
been  pondering  the  oft-repeated  promise  of  God,  and  had 
come  to  recognize  himself  as  in  some  degree  responsible 
for  the  nations.  Were  he  to  waken  in  the  morning  and 
see  Sodom  and  Gomorrah  going  up  in  smoke,  might  he 
not  wonder  why  this  city  had  been  removed  beyond  the 
sphere  of  his  blessing  without  his  having  had  a  chance  to 
intercede  for  it.  Certainly  there  was  a  reason  why  in 
this  sense  God  felt  Himself  under  obligation  to  tell 
Abraham  about  this  coming  disaster  (cf.  Amos  iii.  7 ; 
John  XV.  15). 

Second.  It  was  an  object  lesson  to  Abraham's  chil- 
dren. Abraham  was  a  true  head  of  a  family.  In  setting 
before  his  children  the  awful  results  of  sin,  he  could  point 
them  to  the  destruction  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah.  So  in 
all  the  ages  to  come,  the  Eed  Sea,  which  is  said  to  cover 
Sodom  and  Gomorrah,  would  be  a  perpetual  lesson  and 
warning.  Christ  and  the  prophets  refer  to  the  destruc- 
tion of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah  as  the  wages  of  wickedness 
(Deuteronomy  xxix.  22-25 ;  Matthew  x.  15 ;  xi.  24 ; 
Mark  vi.  11). 


Abraham,  the  Father  of  the  Faithful  63 

Third.  It  may  be  that  God  knew  that  iu  the  future 
years  there  would  come  scoffiug  critics  who  would  at- 
tribute the  destruction  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah  to  natural 
causes.  For  this  reason  their  destruction  is  predicted 
and  foretold.  The  descent  of  meteoric  stones  from  the 
sky  is  not  a  natural  result  of  immorality.  We  have  to 
do  here  with  a  supernatural  act,  a  miracle.  The  destruc- 
tion of  Sodom  was  the  punishment  for  its  sin.  Note  the 
words,  "The  cry  of  the  city  is  great,  and  its  sin  is 
grievous." 

Fourth.  This  narrative  shows  the  power  of  interces- 
sion. "What  a  privilege  the  child  of  God  has  in  being 
able  to  intercede  for  others  !  The  Christian  is  * '  the  salt 
of  the  earth."  Who  can  estimate  the  value  of  a  Chris- 
tian in  the  home,  in  society,  in  the  city,  or  in  the  nation  1 
God  could  not  destroy  Sodom  so  long  as  Lot — poor  speci- 
men of  a  Christian  though  he  was — abode  in  the  city. 
The  only  thing  that  preserves  this  wicked  earth  now  is 
the  presence  of  the  righteous  iu  it.  Here,  then,  is  the 
power  of  a  righteous  man  to  intercede  for  othei-s.  It  is 
worthy  of  note  in  the  matter  of  intercession  that  Abra- 
ham, not  God,  surrendered  first.  The  pity  is  that  Abra- 
ham stopped  asking  as  soon  as  he  did. 

Tlie  Destruction  of  Sodoyn  and  Gomorrah.  The  his- 
toricity of  these  facts  is  witnessed  to  by  the  prophets, 
by  Christ,  and  by  the  apostles  (Deuteronomy  xxix.  23 ; 
Isaiah  xiii.  19 ;  Jeremiah  xlix.  18  ;  1.  40  ;  Lamentations 
iv.  6 ;  Amoa  iv.  11 ;  Luke  xvii.  28-32  ;  2  Peter  ii.  6  ; 
Jude  7). 

The  destruction  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah  was  an  act 
of  justice.  These  cities  had  completed  their  catalogue  of 
sins,  and  their  sinful  condition  demanded  their  oblitera- 
tion (xviii.  20,  21).  God  had  withheld  the  destruction 
of  another  nation  previously  because  its  cup  of  iniquity 
was  not  yet  full   (xv.   16).     The  grievous  iniquity  of 


64  The  Book  of  Genesis 

Sodom,  an  illustration  of  which  is  given  in  chapter 
nineteen,  had  put  an  end  to  the  forbearance  of  God.  We 
should  not  forget  that  there  is  a  time  when  the  patience 
of  God  ceases,  and  when  no  intercession  can  avail  (Ezekiel 
xiv.  3,  14,  20 ;  1  John  v.  16). 

There  are  certain  lessons  we  may  learn  from  the  de- 
struction of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah  : 

First.  That  God  is  not  too  good  to  punish  sin  (2  Peter 
ii.  6  ;  Jude  7). 

Second.  It  is  a  warning  for  future  generations  and  is 
a  picture  of  the  end  of  the  age.  There  will  be  mockers 
of  this  truth  just  as  there  were  in  those  days  (xix.  14; 
Luke  xvii.  28-32  ;  2  Peter  iii.  3-10). 

Third.  It  is  a  picture  of  conditions  as  they  will  exist 
at  the  end  of  the  age.  The  world  will  not  grow  better, 
but  worse  (Luke  xvii.  28-32). 

Fourth.  Lot  was  saved  as  by  fire.  His  trust  in  God 
saved  him,  but  his  life  and  influence  have  not  counted 
much  in  his  favour.  So  will  it  be  with  many  Christians 
(1  Corinthians  iii.  12-15). 

Fifth.  It  is  our  duty  to  warn  and  save  our  loved  ones 
if  we  can.  l^ote  the  words  in  xix.  12 — "  Hast  thou  here 
any  besides?    .     .     .     bring  them  out." 

Sixth.  One  may  be,  like  Lot's  wife,  '^  almost  a  Chris- 
tian," and  yet  lost.  A  man  may  be  aroused  and  moved 
by  the  example  of  others,  or  by  a  mightier  power  even — 
an  angel  hand — and  yet,  looking  back,  may  be  lost. 
''  Eemember  Lot's  wife"  (Luke  xvii.  32). 

Fourth  Episode — Abraham  and  Abimelech  (chaps,  xx., 
xxi.  22-33).  This  is  the  story  of  a  great  sin  after  a  great 
victory.  Ofttimes  our  greatest  temptations  come  after 
our  greatest  blessings.  It  was  after  Jesus  was  baptized 
that  He  was  rushed  into  the  wilderness  to  be  tempted  of 
the  devil. 

Here  is  the  repetition  of  a  former  sin  and  an  illustra- 


Abraham,  the  Father  of  the  Faithful         65 

tion  of  the  truth  that  what  I  have  written  I  shall  write 
again.  Sin  is  a  repeater.  Each  sin  we  commit  makes 
the  next  sin  easier,  more  necessary,  and  certain.  It  would 
be  easier  to  find  a  perfectly  innocent  and  sinless  man 
than  to  find  one  that  had  sinned  but  once. 

One  would  have  thought  that  the  similar  experience  in 
chapter  thirteen  would  have  taught  Abraham  a  lesson. 
Twenty  years  had  passed  since  the  experience  in  Egypt, 
and  probably  the  impression  of  the  sinfulness  of  the  act 
had  become  deadened.  How  could  Abraham  repeat  such 
a  sin?  The  question  may  be  answered  by  asking  our- 
selves how  we  can  do  again  the  things  which  we  know 
are  wrong. 

God's  restraint  of  sin  is  emphasized  in  this  narrative 
in  withholding  Abimelech  from  doing  wrong.  God  re- 
strains sin  in  the  wicked  when  their  actions  would  inter- 
fere with  His  redemptive  purposes.  It  would  not  do  for 
Sarah's  child  to  be  the  ofispriug  of  Abimelech.  He  must 
be  Abraham's  seed.  God  makes  the  wrath  of  men  to 
praise  Him ;  the  remainder  He  restrains.  Eomans  1. 
21-32  is  an  illustration  of  what  happens  when  God  with- 
draws His  grace.  Pharaoh,  also,  is  a  case  in  point  (Ro- 
mans ix.  17-23).  God  restrains  sin  in  the  Christian  by 
His  preventing  and  restraining  grace.  In  the  denial  of 
Peter,  with  his  cursing  and  swearing,  we  see  an  illustra- 
tion of  a  life  from  which  the  hand  of  God  has  been  tem- 
porarily withdrawn. 

Abraham's  example  was  exceedingly  bad  in  its  effect. 
A  child  of  God  was  chided  by  a  heathen  for  his  dis- 
loyalty and  lack  of  trust  in  God.  ' '  For  the  name  of  God 
is  blasphemed  among  the  Gentiles  through  you  "  (Romans 
ii.  24).  Think  of  a  professing  Christian  leading  a  man 
of  the  world  into  temptation  and  sin  ! 

One  wonders  whether  this  incident  of  Abraham  and 
Abimelech  is  not  another  attempt  of  Satan  to  neutralize 


66  The  Book  of  Genesis 

the  promise  with  regard  to  the  coining  Messianic  seed  as 
set  forth  in  Genesis  iii.  15  (cf.  Exodus  i.  16-22 ;  Matthew 
ii.  16-18). 

The  Fulfillment  of  the  Promise  of  a  Son  (xxi.  1-21). 
At  last,  after  years  of  waiting,  the  promise  of  God  to 
Abraham  and  Sarah  is  fulfilled.  Isaac,  the  child  of 
promise,  is  born.  This  chapter  narrates  the  story  of  his 
early  years  and  also  the  conflict  and  jealousy  which  seems 
to  have  arisen  between  Sarah  and  Hagar,  resulting  in 
Hagar's  flight,  taking  her  son  Ishmael  with  her.  Here 
we  have  the  beginning  of  two  great  nations  and  two 
religions,  both  emanating  from  Abraham — Mohammed- 
anism, and  Judaism,  which  found  its  fulfillment  in  Chris- 
tianity. Mohammed  and  Christ.  These  are  in  perpetual 
conflict  one  with  the  other. 

One  cannot  but  be  impressed  with  the  absolute  relia- 
bility of  the  word  and  promise  of  God.  Jehovah  will 
keep  His  word,  even  though  years  elapse  between  the 
announcement  and  fulfillment  of  the  promise.  If  the 
vision  tarry,  wait  for  it. 


"Unanswered  yet? 
The  prayer  your  lips  have  pleaded 
In  agony  of  heart  these  many  years  ? 
Does  faith  begin  to  fail,  is  hope  departing, 
And  think  you  all  in  vain  those  falling  tears  ? 
Say  not  the  Father  hath  not  heard  your  prayer ; 
You  shall  have  your  desire,  some  time,  somewhere. 


"Unanswered  yet? 
Though  when  you  first  presented 
This  one  petition  at  the  Father's  throne. 
It  seemed  you  could  not  wait  the  time  of  asking. 
So  urgent  was  your  heart  to  make  it  known. 
Though  years  have  passed  since  then,  do  not  despair; 
The  Lord  will  answer  you  some  time,  somewhere. 


Abraham,  the  Father  of  the  Faithful         67 

"Unanswered  yet? 
Nay,  do  not  say  ungranted  ; 
Perhaps  your  part  is  not  yet  wholly  done ; 
The  work  began  when  first  your  prayer  was  uttered, 
And  God  will  finish  what  He  has  begun ; 
If  you  will  keep  the  incense  burning  there, 
His  glory  you  shall  see  some  time,  somewhere. 

"Unanswered  yet? 
Faith  cannot  be  unanswered ; 
Her  feet  were  firmly  planted  on  the  Rock ; 
Amid  the  wildest  storm,  prayer  stands  undaunted, 
Nor  quails  before  the  loudest  thunder  shock. 
She  knows  Omnipotence  has  heard  her  prayer, 
And  cries,  *  It  shall  be  done,'  some  time,  somewhere." 

7.  The  Seventh  Manifestation  of  God  to  Abraham 
(chaps,  xxii.-xxv.).  Three  great  facts  are  set  before  us  in 
these  chapters : 

First.  The  supreme  test  of  Abraham's  faith — the  oflfer- 
iug  up  of  Isaac,  the  son  in  whom  all  the  promises  were 
to  be  fulfilled  (xxii.  1-18). 

This  was  the  supreme  test  of  Abraham's  faith.  At  all 
other  times  he  had  been  given  a  promise  to  step  out  on, 
but  no  promise  is  connected  with  this  incident.  Abra- 
ham is  told  to  take  his  son,  his  only  son,  the  son  in  whom 
all  the  promises  were  to  be  fulfilled,  and  offer  him  for  a 
sacrifice  on  Mount  Moriah.  This  was  really  the  last  of 
the  four  great  surrenders  in  Abraham's  life,  which  he 
had  been  called  upon  to  make.  These  surrenders  were  : 
The  sacrifice  of  home  and  kindred  (chap,  xii.)  ;  the  sep- 
aration from  Lot  (chap,  xiii.)  ;  the  giving  up  of  his  own 
plan  of  life  (chap,  xix.)  ;  and  now  the  sacrifice  of  his 
only  and  well-beloved  son  Isaac. 

It  was  good  for  Abraham  that  this  supreme  test  did 
not  come  at  the  beginning  of  his  pilgrim  life,  but  after 
years  of  communion  and  fellowship  with  God.     This  is  a 


68  The  Book  of  Genesis 

mark  of  God's  goodness  and  kindly  consideration.  "  The 
valley  of  the  shadow  of  death  "  is  not  at  the  beginning, 
but  in  the  middle,  of  the  Twenty-third  Psalm.  Not 
until  we  have  been  well  fed  in  green  pastures,  and  satis- 
fied to  the  full  our  thirst  in  still  waters;  not  until  we 
have  had  soul  refreshment  and  the  blessed  experience  of 
walking  in  the  paths  of  righteousness  with  God  as  our 
Companion,  are  we  called  upon  to  pass  through  the  valley 
of  the  shadow.  How  good  God  is  !  There  will  no  temp- 
tation take  you  but  such  as  man  can  bear,  and  ''God  is 
faithful,  who  will  not  suffer  you  to  be  tempted  above  that 
ye  are  able ;  but  will  with  the  temptation  also  make  a 
way  to  escape,  that  ye  may  be  able  to  bear  it"  (1  Corin- 
thians X.  13).  "As  thy  days,  so  shall  thy  strength  be" 
(Deuteronomy  xxxiii.  25). 

Abraham  got  his  greatest  blessing  through  this  the 
greatest  of  all  surrenders.  His  servants  observed  the 
glory  that  shone  on  his  face  as  he  returned,  and  for  this 
reason  the  proverb  originated,  "In  the  mount  of  the  Lord 
it  shall  be  seen  "  (xxii.  14). 

There  are  some  things  in  this  narrative  that  need  a  word 
of  explanation  : 

First.  There  is  the  word  "tempt" — "Now  the  Lord 
did  tempt  Abraham."  This  word  is  used  in  the  Scrip- 
tures in  at  least  two  senses.  "When  used  of  Satan  in  his 
relations  with  mankind,  it  expresses  an  evil  intent,  and 
means  to  seduce  or  cause  man  to  fall  (Matthew  iv.  1  ; 
1  Corinthians  xi.  3).  In  this  sense,  temptation  cannot 
be  attributed  to  God,  for  God  never  thus  tempts  any  man 
(James  i.  13-17).  The  word  "  tempt "  used  of  God  is  to 
be  understood  in  the  sense  of  testing  or  proving  the  good 
that  is  in  man,  separating  the  wheat  from  the  chaff,  the 
gold  from  the  dross  ;  but  always  in  order  that  the  wheat 
and  the  gold  may  be  the  prominent  thing  (Genesis  xxii. 
1 ;  Matthew  vi.  13). 


Abraham,  the  Father  of  the  Faithful  69 

Second.  The  commaud  to  offer  up  Isaac  is  to  be  under- 
stood literally.  Abraham  did  not  misunderstand  the 
commaud  of  God,  when,  with  uplifted  hand,  he  was  ready 
and  willing  to  offer  his  son.  Nor  was  Abraham  feigning 
or  misrepresenting  when  he  said  to  his  servants,  *'  Abide 
ye  here  .  .  .  and  I  and  the  lad  will  go  yonder  and 
worship,  and  come  again  to  you"  (xxii.  5).  When  he 
used  the  pronoun  "we,"  he  was  not  using  the  language 
of  dissimulation,  but  of  victorious  faith.  This  we  are 
given  to  understand  in  Hebrews  xi.  17-19.  Could  Abra- 
ham believe  in  God  now  without  his  son,  as  he  had  be- 
lieved before  without  him  ?  Was  he  persuaded  that  God 
was  able  to  raise  Isaac  from  the  dead  if  that  was  neces- 
sary in  order  for  the  fulfillment  of  His  promise  (Eomans 
iv.  16,  17,  21  ;  Hebrews  xi.  17,  ]9  ;  Eomans  iv.  24,  25)  1 

Third.  It  is  apparent  that  Abraham  did  not  think  it 
wrong  to  thus  sacrifice  his  son.  A  knowledge  of  the  cus- 
toms of  the  time  leads  us  to  believe  that  such  a  sacrifice 
was  regarded  as  the  highest  virtue  and  the  supreme  test 
of  religion.  Had  Abraham  considered  it  to  be  wrong,  he 
would  not  have  done  it,  nor  would  he  have  considered 
such  a  voice  to  have  been  the  voice  of  God.  One  some- 
times wonders  if  this  sacrifice  was  necessary  because  of  the 
probable  condition  of  Abraham's  religious  experience. 
Is  it  likely  that  he  had  entertained  hard  thoughts  of  God 
for  sending  Ishmael  away,  and  that  this  led  him  to  make 
compensation  by  the  glad  sacrifice  of  Isaac  1  However 
the  command  came  to  him,  it  became  his  conviction  that 
God  wanted  him  to  offer  up  his  only  son. 

Fourth.  It  does  seem,  however,  that  although  Abra- 
ham did  not  think  the  sacrifice  of  Isaac  to  be  wrong,  the 
actual  slaying  of  Isaac  would  have  been  wrong  in  the 
sight  of  God.  How,  then,  can  this  be  reconciled  with  the 
direct  command  of  God  ?  May  it  not  be  sufficient  to  re- 
ply   that   God    meant    Abraham    to    offer  Isaac  in  so 


yo  The  Book  of  Genesis 

far  as  he  himself  was  concerned  ;  that  God  intended  that 
Abraham  should  offer  Isaac  in  spirit  only,  and  not  in  out- 
ward act,  even  though  Abraham  himself  understood  God 
to  desire  the  literal  sacrifice  of  Isaac  j  that  what  God  de- 
sired of  Abraham  was  an  offering  of  the  spirit,  and  not  of 
blood  ?  Does  not  the  narrative  bear  out  this  view,  in- 
asmuch as  Abraham  is  allowed  to  proceed  as  though  God 
actually  wanted  him  to  offer  up  his  sou  literally  ? 

In  any  event,  it  is  clear  that  God  would  teach  Abraham 
some  important  lessons.  He  would  teach  him  the  true 
meaning  of  sacrifice  ;  that  it  lay  in  spirit  more  than  in  act ; 
that  the  consecration  of  a  living  soul  is  far  more  impor- 
tant than  the  offering  of  a  dead  body  (Eomans  xii.  1). 
Beyond  all  question,  God  intended  that  Abraham  should 
know  that  human  sacrifice  was  now  to  receive  a  final  blow. 
It  is  not  going  too  far  to  say  that  God  gave  to  the  patri- 
arch that  day  a  lesson  in  substitution  and  vicarious  sacri- 
fice. May  it  not  be  that  in  the  substitution  of  the  ram 
for  Isaac  that  the  expression  of  the  New  Testament  is 
fulfilled,  "Abraham  rejoiced  to  see  my  day  ;  and  he  saw 
it,  and  was  glad"  (John  viii.  56),  and  "  Preached  before 
the  gospel  unto  Abraham  "  (Galatians  iii.  8). 

In  man's  extremity,  God's  opportunity  was  manifest. 
Not  until  the  hand  of  Abraham  was  uplifted,  and,  so  far 
as  father  and  son  were  concerned,  the  whole  sacrifice 
complete,  was  the  substitution  provided.  It  must  have 
seemed  to  Abraham  as  though  to  offer  his  son,  to  make 
that  sacrifice,  meant  the  end  of  all  his  hopes  ;  that  noth- 
ing more  was  left.  But  when  Abraham  had  gone  all  the 
way  with  God,  then  we  are  told  that  the  Lord  provided. 
It  was  "  seen  in  the  mount  "  that  God  doth  provide  Him- 
self a  sacrifice.  Then  came  the  greatest  of  all  blessings  to 
Abraham  (xxii.  15-18). 

Is  not  this  the  way  God  deals  with  men  to-day  ?  Not 
until  we  have  come  to  the  end  of  ourselves  and  laid  abso- 


Abraham,  the  Father  of  the  Faithful         7 1 

lutely  all  we  have  on  the  altar  of  God  ;  not  until  we  come 
to  the  end  of  trust  in  all  that  is  earthly,  do  we  get  the  full- 
ness of  the  blessing  of  God. 

Abraham's  faith,  so  gloriously  portrayed  by  Paul 
(Romans  iv.  9-25),  was  corroborated  and  witnessed  to  by 
his  works,  upon  which  James  lays  so  much  emphasis 
(James  ii.  14-24). 

"  Laid  on  Thine  altar,  O  my  Lord  divine, 
Accept  my  gift  this  day,  for  Jesus'  sake. 
I  have  no  jewels  to  adorn  Thy  shrine, 
Nor  any  world-famed  sacrifice  to  make, 
But  here  I  bring,  within  my  trembling  hand, 
This  heart  of  mine,  a  thing  that  seemeth  small; 
And  yet.  Thou  dost  know,  dear  Lord, 
That  when  I  yield  Thee  this,  I  yield  my  all ; 
Hidden  therein.  Thy  searching  eye  can  see 
Struggles  of  passion,  visions  of  delight. 
All  that  I  am  and  fain  would  be. 
Now  from  Thy  footstool,  where  it  vanquished  lies. 
The  cry  ascendeth,  *  May  Thy  will  be  done,' 
Take  it.  Lord,  ere  my  courage  fail. 
And  merge  it  so  in  Thine  own  will 
That  if,  in  some  future  day,  my  plea  prevail. 
And  Thou  give  back  my  will,  it  may  so  fair  have 

grown, 
So  changed,  that  I  shall  know  it  no  longer  as  mine, 

but  as  Thine." 

Typical  Teaching 
In  this  chapter  (xxii.)  many  see  in  Abraham  a  type  of 
the  Father  sparing  not  His  own  Son,  but  freely  delivering 
Him  up  for  us  all  (Eomaus  viii.  32  ;  John  iii.  16)  ;  in 
Isaac,  a  type  of  Christ,  who  was  obedient  even  unto  death 
(Philippians  ii.  5-8)  ;  in  the  ram  caught  in  the  thicket,  a 
type  of  Christ  being  offered  as  a  substitute  for  the  sinner 
(Hebrews  x.  5-10)  ;  in  the  preservation  of  Isaac  from 
death  by  sacrifice,  which  to  Abraham  was  as  a  resurrec- 


72  The  Book  of  Genesis 

tiou  from  the  dead,  a  type  of  Christ's  resurrection  (cf. 
Hebrews  xi.  17-19  ;  Eomans  iv.  20-25). 

Fifth  Episode — The  Death  of  Sarah  (chap,  xxiii.).  This 
chapter  contains  the  first  detailed  account  of  a  funeral, 
just  as  chapter  twenty-four  contains  the  first  detailed  ac- 
count of  a  wedding. 

The  faith  of  Abraham  is  again  shown  in  purchasing  a 
burial  place  in  Canaan  rather  than  in  Ur  of  the  Chaldees. 
This  was  the  first  real  pledge  that  the  patriarch  had 
abandoned  the  old  life  and  land,  never  to  return  to  it. 
The  piece  of  land  Abraham  bought  was  not  a  pasture 
that  could  be  sold  again,  nor  a  building  lot  that  could  be 
disposed  of,  but  a  grave,  something  that  he  could  not 
well  abandon. 

The  detailed  description  of  the  ground  and  the  minute 
accuracy  and  publicity  of  the  transaction  (vers.  3,  11, 
17-20)  emphasize  the  fact  that  this  purchase  was  looked 
upon  by  Abraham  as  an  earnest  of  the  future  possession 
of  the  whole  land.  The  death  of  Sarah,  his  wife,  surely 
offered  a  legitimate  opportunity  for  him  to  go  back  to 
TJr  of  the  Chaldees  if  he  had  wanted  to.  The  purchase 
of  a  grave  for  his  dead  bound  him  to  that  land,  just  as 
the  graves  of  our  dead  do  to  ours.  That  grave  was  an 
earnest,  a  first  fruits  ;  the  rest  would  follow. 

Abraham  came  to  the  grave  to  weep  and  to  mourn. 
Surely  it  is  not  wrong  for  us  to  weep  over  our  dead  or  to 
mourn  over  their  loss.  Jesus  wept  at  the  grave  of  Laz- 
arus. Tears  of  sorrow  and  bereavement  wet  a  holier  eye 
and  stained  a  more  sacred  cheek  than  ours.  We  should 
not,  of  course,  "sorrow  as  those  which  have  no  hope," 
for  faith  in  Christ  has  inspired  the  Christian  with  a  liv- 
ing hope  that  sustains  the  soul  in  the  hour  of  bereave- 
ment (1  Thessalonians  iv.  13-18). 

Abraham  speaks  of  the  dead  as  "my  dead."  Those 
who  die  in  faith  are  not  lost  to  us.     Once  our  own,  they 


Abraham,  the  Father  of  the  Faithful  73 

are  our  own  forever.  God  gave  Job  twice  as  much  prop- 
erty and  cattle  as  he  had  before  his  affliction,  but  not 
twice  as  many  children.  Why  ?  Because  he  had  lost 
his  land  and  cattle,  but  he  had  not  lost  his  children  who 
had  died.     They  had  simply  gone  on  before. 

The  expression  "  buried  with  his  fathers"  is  signifi- 
cant. How  desirous  the  Old  Testament  saints  were  of 
being  buried  as  families.  Even  to-day  in  oriental  lands 
the  family  burying  ground  is  sacredly  maintained.  It  is 
their  belief  that  they  shall  rise  as  families.  Will  family 
life  be  recognized  in  heaven  ?  What  does  Paul  mean  by 
the  expression,  ''For  this  cause  I  bow  my  knees  unto  the 
Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  of  whom  the  whole 
family  in  heaven  and  earth  is  named "  (Ephesians  iii. 
14,  15)  ?  •'  Is  not  the  thought  of  family  reunion  a  very 
sacred  one  ? 

"  Beyond  the  silent  river, 
In  the  glory  summer  land, 
In  the  beautiful  forever. 
Where  the  jeweled  city  stands, 
Where  ever-blooming  flowers 
Send  forth  their  sweet  perfume, 
My  heart's  most  loved  and  cherished, 
In  heaven's  beauty  bloom. 

"  And  when  I  cross  that  river, 
The  first  I  will  adore, 
The  first  to  bid  me  welcome, 
Upon  that  golden  shore, 
Will  be  my  loving  Saviour, 
The  One  who  died  for  me, 
That  in  the  long  forever, 
From  sin  I  might  be  free. 

"  The  next  one  who  will  greet  me. 
In  the  mansions  fair  and  bright, 
Will  be  my  sainted  mother, 
Arrayed  in  garments  white, 


74  The  Book  of  Genesis 

And  then  that  gray-haired  father. 
Close  pressing  by  her  side, 
Will  clasp  my  hand  with  fervour, 
Just  o'er  the  swelling  tide. 

"  Then  curly-headed  brother, 
And  little  sister  dear, 
And  bright-eyed  little  baby, 
With  merry  laugh  and  cheer. 
Will  all  then  cluster  around  me 
To  bid  me  welcome  home, 
And  watch  with  me  the  gathering 
Of  loved  ones  yet  to  come. 

"  Oh,  the  joy  that  there  awaits  me 
When  I  reach  that  golden  shore. 
And  clasp  the  hands  of  loved  ones, 
To  part  with  them  no  more." 

Deoih  of  Abraham  (xxv.  7-11).  Abraham  lived  to  be 
one  hundred  and  seventy-five  years  old.  He  "died  in  a 
good  old  age,  an  old  man,  and  full  of  years ;  and  was 
gathered  to  his  people."  Here  again  we  come  across 
the  comforting  expression  "gathered  to  his  people." 
Just  what  is  meant  by  this  expression  we  have  seen 
under  the  description  of  Sarah's  death.  Abraham  was 
buried  in  the  same  sepulchre  with  his  wife,  Sarah,  in  the 
cave  of  Machpelah,  in  the  parcel  of  ground  which  Abra- 
ham bought  from  Ephron  the  Hittite. 


II 

The  History  of  Isaac 

{xxv.  19-xxviii.  9;  xxxv.) 

SO  far,  we  have  observed  that  the  history  of  the  pa- 
triarchs— Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob — have  crys- 
tallized around  a  number  of  visions,  or  manifesta- 
tions of  God :  Seven  to  Abraham  ;  two  to  Isaac ;  and 
seven  to  Jacob.  The  nature  of  these  visions  is  deter- 
mined by  the  character  of  the  men  to  whom  they  are 
given.  Those  to  Abraham  were  for  revelation — all  that 
Abraham  needed  to  lead  him  to  do  the  will  of  God  was  a 
knowledge  of  that  will  ;  those  to  Isaac  were  for  corrobo- 
ration— being  a  timid,  quiet  man,  he  was  in  danger  of  los- 
ing heart,  and  compromising ;  those  to  Jacob  were  for 
the  purpose  of  restraint — being  willful,  impulsive,  and 
full  of  selfish  initiative,  he  was  constantly  running  ahead 
of  God  and  continually  substituting  his  own  plans  for 
those  of  God. 

Not  much  is  said  in  the  Scriptures  about  Isaac,  al- 
though he  lived  to  be  the  oldest  of  the  patriarchs.  His 
value  in  history  seems  to  lie  in  the  fact  that  he  was  the 
connecting  link  in  the  patriarchal  history.  He  led  a 
quiet,  uneventful  life.  He  was,  characteristically,  a  man 
of  peace.  When  Abimelech  required  him  to  leave  Gerar, 
he  left ;  when  the  Philistines  filled  his  wells,  he  dug 
others ;  when  herdmen  wrangled  over  a  well,  he  gave  it 
up  ;  when  this  well,  too,  was  disputed,  he  gave  it  up 
also,  retired  and  set  to  work  on  a  third.  Yet  all  the 
time  his  flocks  and  herds  increased,  and  he  was  pros- 
pered.    Like  his  father,  he  went  down  into  Egypt  and 

75 


76  The  Book  of  Genesis 

fell  into  sin.     His  death  closed  a  comparatively  unevent- 
ful life. 

Isaac's  history  is  not  as  orderly  arranged  as  that  of 
Abraham,  his  father.  The  broken  character,  therefore, 
of  this  history  necessitates  that  we  look  at  it  from  a  dif- 
ferent view-point.  There  are  five  prominent  things  to 
remember  in  Isaac's  life  :  his  name  ;  birth  ;  marriage ; 
career,  which  crystallizes  around  two  visions  of  God ;  and 
his  death. 

1.  Isaac's  Birth  and  Name  (xvii.  17-19 ;  xviii.  12-13; 
xxi.  6).  Like  Christ's,  Isaac's  birth  was  miraculous,  and 
his  name  foretold.  His  birth  occurred  in  the  divine  line 
in  which  barrenness  seemed  to  be  prominent,  and  con- 
sequently miraculous  and  supernatural  intervention  was 
necessary.  We  should  not  fail  to  notice  this  fact  in  con- 
nection with  the  promised  seed  up  to  and  including 
Christ. 

Isaac's  name  means  "  laughter,"  and  was,  in  all  prob- 
ability, a  daily  reminder,  not  only  of  Sarah's  sin,  but 
also  of  the  faith  of  Sarah  and  Abraham.  It  was  also  a 
daily  reminder  of  the  power  of  God.  Sarah  could  say, 
"  Now  you  may  laugh  with  me,  but  you  cannot  laugh  at 
me."  'No  doubt  the  birth  of  Isaac  brought  joy  and  glad- 
ness to  Abraham  and  Sarah,  just  as  did  the  birth  of  Jesus 
Christ  to  His  mother  and  the  world  (cf.  Luke  i.  46-56 ; 
ii.  10). 

2.  The  Marriage  of  Isaac  (chap.  xxiv.).  This  is 
the  first  detailed  account  of  a  wedding  in  the  Bible,  and 
sixty-seven  verses  are  devoted  to  it.  "While  there  are 
many  spiritual  lessons  and  typical  significations  in  this 
chapter  great  care  should  be  exercised  lest  one  fall  into 
the  difficulty  of  over- spiritualizing,  and  looking  for  types 
where  in  reality  they  are  not  found. 


The  History  of  Isaac  77 

It  might  be  well  in  this  conuection  to  lay  down  a  safe 
rule  for  the  study  of  typology  in  the  Word  of  God.  It  is 
unquestionably  a  safe  rule  to  follow  in  the  study  of  the 
types  of  Scripture,  not  to  make  anything  in  the  Old  Tes- 
tament a  type  which  the  New  Testament  does  not  sanc- 
tion or  declare  to  be  such.  For  illustration,  we  know 
that  the  Passover  was  a  type,  for  1  Corinthians  v.  7  dis- 
tinctly teaches  this  truth.  Melchizedek  (Genesis  xiv.) 
is  typical  of  Christ,  for  the  writer  of  the  epistle  to  the 
Hebrews  clearly  says  so  (Hebrews  v.  10 ;  vii.  1-22). 
There  may  be  many  points  of  similarity  between  Old 
Testament  characters  and  Christ  that  should  not  be 
called  types  of  our  Lord  Jesus.  We  would  not  be 
understood  as  saying  that  there  is  absolutely  nothing 
typical  in  the  Old  Testament  but  what  the  New  Testa- 
ment distinctly  and  clearly  states  to  be  such.  We  would 
be  understood,  however,  as  distinctly  stating  that  the 
rule  just  given  is  a  safe  one  to  follow,  and  keeps  one 
from  falling  into  the  error,  so  prevalent  in  many  quarters, 
of  overdoing  the  typical  teaching  of  the  Word  of  God. 

Some  expositors  see  in  this  chapter  a  picture  of  Christ 
choosing  a  Gentile  bride  for  Himself,  set  forth  under  the 
figure — historical,  of  course— of  the  call  of  Eebekah  to  be 
the  bride  of  Isaac.  Abraham's  steward,  Eleazar,  is  lik- 
ened to  the  Holy  Spirit.  At  all  events,  there  are  five 
lessons  in  connection  with  marriage  in  this  chapter  : 

First.  There  is  the  responsibility  of  parents  to  see 
that  their  children  are  married  within  the  circle  of  relig- 
ion and  in  accordance  with  the  will  of  God.  Many  par- 
ents seem  to  think  that  their  children  are  ''  well  married  " 
and  have  made  a  ''good  match  "if  auspicious  circum- 
stances have  characterized  the  marriage.  It  does  not 
seem  to  have  occurred  to  them  to  inquire  as  to  whether 
the  one  seeking  the  hand  of  their  child  is  a  Christian  or 
not.     Think  of  it,  parents ;  pause,  and  ponder  ere  you 


y8  The  Book  of  Genesis 

allow  your  consent  to  be  given  to  an  unchristian  mar- 
riage !  Think  of  a  Christian  parent  giving  his  daughter 
to  be  the  life  companion  of  an  unbeliever  !  Parents,  are 
you  giving  your  children  in  marriage  to  a  child  of  God, 
or  a  child  of  the  devil,  which  *?  Before  God  you  must 
answer  this  question.  Do  you  say  you  do  not  know  ?  It 
is  your  business  to  find  out.  God  holds  you  responsible 
for  this  thing.  The  religious  question  in  marriage  is  the 
prime  question. 

Second.  That  there  must  be  no  intermingling  of 
seeds ;  that  is  to  say,  there  must  be  no  marriage  of  the 
Christian  to  the  worldling  (xxiv.  3,  4).  Light  cannot 
have  fellowship  with  darkness,  nor  he  that  believeth 
with  an  infidel.  The  ethics  of  Christian  marriages  are 
set  forth  clearly  in  2  Corinthians  vi.  14-17,  and  1  Cor- 
inthians vii.  39 : 

14.  Be  ye  not  unequally  yoked  together  with  un- 
believers ;  for  what  fellowship  hath  righteousness  with 
unrighteousness  ?  and  what  communion  hath  light 
with  darkness  ? 

15.  And  what  concord  hath  Christ  with  Belial  ? 
or  what  part  hath  he  that  believeth  with  an  infidel  ? 

16.  And  what  agreement  hath  the  temple  of  God 
with  idols  ?  for  ye  are  the  temple  of  the  living  God ; 
as  God  hath  said,  I  will  dwell  in  them,  and  walk  in 
them ;  and  I  will  be  their  God,  and  they  shall  be  my 
people. 

17.  Wherefore  come  out  from  among  them,  and 
be  ye  separate,  saith  the  Lord,  and  touch  not  the  un- 
clean thing  ;  and  I  will  receive  you. 

39.  The  wife  is  bound  by  the  law  as  long  as  her 
husband  liveth  ;  but  if  her  husband  be  dead,  she  is 
at  liberty  to  be  married  to  whom  she  will ;  only  in 
the  Lord. 

From  these  words  it  is  evident  that  the  matter  of  the 
choice  of  a  partner  in  marriage  is  one  that  should  be  of 


The  History  of  Isaac  79 

great  concern  to  the  Christian.  "Only  in  the  Lord" — 
these  words  should  be  graven  with  the  pen  of  iron  upon 
every  Christian  heart.  This  is  no  arbitrary  law — that  a 
Christian  must  marry  a  Christian ;  it  is  absolutely  neces- 
sary to  the  Christian's  happiness:  "How  can  two  walk 
together  except  they  be  agreed?"  Marriage  must  be 
based  upon  affinity,  not  only  physical,  mental,  and 
moral,  but  spiritual  also.  For  the  Christian  any  other 
marriage  but  a  Christian  marriage  is  forbidden.  Some 
one  has  said  that  for  a  young  man  or  young  woman  to  be 
wholesomely  married  is  the  next  thing  to  being  regener- 
ated. 

Young  Christian,  be  you  man  or  woman,  listen  to  these 
words — "At  liberty  to  be  married  to  whom  she  will ; 
only  in  the  Lord."  Too  many  regard  wealth,  position, 
or  title  as  the  main  qualifications  to  a  good  marriage. 
They  seem  satisfied  with  these  things. 

Christian  young  woman,  think  and  ponder  what  these 
scriptures  mean  before  you  marry  a  man  who  is  not  a 
believer  on  Jesus  Christ.  When  you  ask  the  consent  of 
your  earthly  father,  do  not  forget  to  consult  your  heav- 
enly Father.  Too  often  the  heavenly  Father  is  over- 
looked. Think  of  it.  Christian  young  woman,  what  it 
means  to  marry  an  unconverted  man  ;  no  family  altar  in 
your  home,  no  voice  of  prayer,  no  reading  of  the  Bible. 
When  you  or  your  children  are  sick  or,  perchance, 
dying,  and  you  want  some  one  to  pray  for  you  and  for 
them,  and  you  ask  your  husband  to  pray,  he  will  reply, 
"  I  can't  pray."  If  you  ask  him  to  read  you  some  com- 
forting portion  of  the  Bible  for  which  your  soul  is  pining, 
he  will  answer,  "I  cannot  read  the  Bible  for  you;  I 
don't  know  where  to  turn  to  find  the  comfort  you  need." 
And  when  the  angel  of  death  shall  hover  over  the  cradle, 
or  you  yourself  are  passing  through  the  valley  of  the 
shadow,  and  you  need  some  one  to  beseech  God  for  you, 


8o  The  Book  of  Genesis 

to  help  and  comfort  you,  for  you  yourself  are  not  able  to 
pray — think  of  it,  Christian  young  woman,  to  be  married 
to  a  man  who  cannot  minister  to  you  in  the  most  sacred 
things  of  your  soul  in  the  most  desperate  hours  of  life ! 
Think  and  ponder  before  you  leap. 

Do  not  be  deluded  by  the  false  philosophy  that  you  may 
marry  an  unconverted  man  in  order  that  you  may  lead 
him  to  Christ.  The  odds  are  a  thousand  to  one  that  you 
will  be  led  away  from  the  Lord.  Any  pastor  who  would 
think  it  wise  to  give  you  a  leaf  out  of  his  note-book  will 
tell  you  that  some  of  the  saddest  incidents  which  have 
come  under  his  notice  and  dealing  have  been  those  of 
broken-hearted  wives,  who  once  were  sweet.  Christian 
young  women,  but  who  married  unconverted  men,  think- 
ing that  they  would  reform  them  after  they  were  married 
to  them.  There  can  be  no  agreement  between  a  Christian 
and  an  unbeliever.  If  an  agreement  is  reached,  it  is  an 
agreement,  almost  always,  to  give  up  prayer,  asking  the 
blessing  at  the  table,  and  going  to  church. 

"  Yet  it  shall  be :  thou  shalt  lower  to  his  level  day  by 
day, 

What  is  fine  within  thee  growing  coarse  to  sympa- 
thize with  clay, 

As  the  husband  is,  the  wife  is ;  thou  art  mated  with 
a  clown  ; 

And  the  grossness  of  his  nature  will  have  weight  to 
drag  thee  down, 

He  will  hold  thee,  when  his  passion  shall  have  spent 
its  novel  force, 

Something  better  than  his  dog,  a  little  dearer  than 
his  horse." 

—  Tennyson. 

Third.  The  responsibility  attached  to  the  choice  of  a 
residence  (xxiv.  4-9,  37-41).  We  have  already,  in  the 
case  of  Lot  (Genesis  xiii.,  xviii.,  xix.),  seen  the  dan- 


The  History  of  Isaac  81 

gers  that  come  from  a  Christian  man  locating  himself  and 
family  in  the  midst  of  ungodly  surroundings.  Abraham 
is  very  careful  to  insist  that  his  servant,  Eleazar,  shall 
bring  Isaac's  bride  back  with  him  to  his  country.  Isaac 
must  not,  under  any  circumstances,  go  into  that  heathen 
country  to  take  up  his  residence  there  (Genesis  xxiv. 
2-6). 

Fourth.  There  must  be  harmony  of  religious  faith. 
How  can  two  walk  together  in  peace  and  unity  except 
they  be  agreed  ? 

Fifth.  The  important  part  that  prayer  has  to  play  in 
the  choice  of  a  life  partner.  This  chapter  is  honeycombed 
with  the  thought  of  prayer  in  connection  with  the  choice 
of  a  bride  (cf.  vers.  2,  3,  7,  12-14,  40-43,  48,  52).  One  can- 
not fail  to  be  impressed  with  the  quick  answers  to  prayer 
related  in  this  chapter  (cf.  vers.  15,  45) :  "  And  it  came  to 
pass,  before  he  had  done  speaking;"  ''And  before  I 
had  done  speaking  in  my  heart ' ' — these  are  the  expres- 
sions that  indicate  quick  answers  to  prayer.  This  mar- 
riage was  surely  made  in  heaven.  It  was  prayer,  and  not 
chance,  which  gave  Isaac  his  wife.  Why  should  young 
men  and  women  to-day  neglect  to  pray  with  reference  to 
the  matter  of  marriage  and  the  choice  of  a  life  partner, 
which,  next  to  their  soul's  salvation,  is  the  most  impor- 
tant event  in  their  lives. 

3.  Isaac's  Career  (xxvi.  1-22,  23-33).  The  career  of 
Isaac  crystallizes  around  two  manifestations  of  God  to  him, 
the  first  being  in  connection  with  Abimelech  (xxvi.  1-22), 
and  indicating  that  retrogression  had  taken  place  in  the 
religious  life  of  the  patriarch.  The  second  was  in  connec- 
tion with  the  Beer-sheba  incident  (xxvi.  23-33),  and  re- 
sulted in  progress  being  made  by  Isaac  in  his  religious 
life. 

(a)     The  First  Manifestation  of  God  to  Isaac  (xxvi.  1-22). 


82  The  Book  of  Genesis 

The  first  vision  of  God  in  the  life  of  Isaac  is  connected 
with  Gerar  in  Egypt.  It  would  seem,  from  the  narrative 
of  the  chapter,  that  a  threatened  famine  caused  Isaac  to 
take  a  trip  down  to  Egypt,  just  as  his  father  before  him 
had  done.  We  do  not  know  whether  Isaac  knew,  or  did 
not  know,  that  his  father  had  made  a  similar  journey  with 
disastrous  results.  If  he  did  know,  he  should  have  been 
warned  by  his  father's  example.  No  physical  condition 
should  be  able  to  drive  the  people  of  God  into  forbidden 
territory. 

While  Isaac  was  on  his  way  down  to  Egypt,  God  met 
him  and  stopped  him  half-way.  He  fell  into  the  same  sin 
that  his  father  had  fallen  into.  This  fact  need  not  cause 
us  amazement,  for  ''  as  father,  so  son,"  is  too  often  illus- 
trated under  our  own  eyes. 

This  incident  is  not  a  second  account  of  that  narrated 
in  connection  with  the  life  of  Abraham  (xii.  10-20),  al- 
though the  same  name,  Abimelech,  is  used.  Without 
question,  "Abimelech,"  like  "Pharaoh,"  was  an  official 
name  for  the  ruling  head  of  the  people. 

Both  Abraham's  and  Isaac's  wives  were  handsome,  and 
their  good  looks  were  made  a  curse  to  them.  Beauty  is 
of  God  and  is  cause  for  gratitude,  but  how  often  has  it 
been  the  means  of  destruction  to  those  possessing  it. 

One  wonders  why  God  publicly  blessed  Isaac,  even 
while  he  was  in  this  state  of  disobedience  to  God.  We 
cannot  tell.  God  sometimes  does  that.  He  sometimes 
honours  His  people  in  the  sight  of  men,  but  punishes  them 
in  private  for  wrong-doing.  God  does  not  always  allow 
His  servants  to  be  dishonoured  before  the  world,  but  they 
will  be  disciplined,  nevertheless.  Sometimes,  however,  as 
in  the  case  of  David,  God  rebukes  His  servants  openly  for 
sins  committed  privately  (2  Samuel  xii.  12).  We  must 
not  forget,  however,  that  the  very  prosperity  of  Isaac 
aroused  the  envy  manifested  in  verse  fourteen. 


The  History  of  Isaac  83 

(&)  The  Second  Manifestation  of  God  to  Isaac — Beer- 
sheba  (xxvi.  23-33).  This  vision  of  God  came  to  Isaac 
after  he  had  determined  to  leave  Egypt  and  remove  to 
Beer-sheba.  In  that  ''same  night"  God  appeared  unto 
him  and  said,  ''  I  am  the  God  of  Abraham  thy  father  ; 
fear  not,  for  I  am  with  thee,  and  will  bless  thee,  and  mul- 
tiply thy  seed,  for  my  servant  Abraham's  sake."  "  And 
he  builded  an  altar  there,  and  called  upon  the  name  of 
the  Lord,  and  pitched  his  tent  there." 

A  similar  vision  had  come  to  Abraham  when  he  left 
Egypt  and  went  back  to  Bethel,  back  to  the  place  of  the 
altar  and  the  tent. 

God  made  Isaac's  enemies  to  be  at  peace  with  him 
(ver.  26).  They  saw  plainly,  as  Abimelech  said  :  "W© 
saw  certainly  that  the  Lord  was  with  thee :  and  we  said, 
Let  there  be  now  an  oath  betwixt  us,  even  betwixt  us  and 
thee,  and  let  us  make  a  covenant  with  thee  ;  That  thou 
wilt  do  us  no  hurt,  as  we  have  not  touched  thee,  and  as 
we  have  done  unto  thee  nothing  but  good,  and  have  sent 
thee  away  in  peace  ;  thou  art  now  the  blessed  of  the  Lord  " 
(vers.  28,  29).  Isaac  was  a  timid  man,  and  yet  it  was  pos- 
sible for  him  to  live  so  as  to  influence  the  lives  of  the  un- 
godly and  make  them  understand  that  God  was  with 
him. 

4.  Isaac's  Death  (xxxv.  28,  29).  Isaac  died  at  the 
age  of  one  hundred  and  eighty  years.  His  death  was  as 
uneventful  as  his  life.  He  did  not  die,  however,  as  soon 
as  he  thought  he  would  (xxvii.  1,  2),  but  lived  forty 
years  longer,  at  least  until  Joseph  was  about  thirty  years 
old.  The  story  of  Isaac's  life  closes  with  the  words  : 
"  And  the  days  of  Isaac  were  an  hundred  and  fourscore 
years.  And  Isaac  gave  up  the  ghost,  and  died,  and  was 
gathered  unto  his  jieople,  being  old  and  full  of  days  :  and 
his  sons  Esau  and  Jacob  buried  him  "  (xxxv.  28,  29). 


Ill 

The  History  of  Jacob 

(xxviii.  35 ;  xlvi.  1-7) 

THE  history  of  Jacob  contains  two  clearly  marked 
divisions :  in  the  first,  we  see  the  restless,  wil- 
ful, self-assertive  man,  Jacob  ;  in  the  second, 
we  see  the  restful,  trusting,  submissive,  obedient  man, 
Israel. 

.  The  Bible  has  often  been  likened  to  a  portrait  gallery, 
adorned  with  the  faces  of  remarkable  historic  men,  in 
which  every  variety  of  feature  and  type  of  character 
/  may  be  found.  None  of  the  characters  which  the  pen  of 
inspiration  has  rescued  from  oblivion  is  more  interesting 
to  read,  and  instructive  to  contemplate,  than  that  of 
Jacob,  the  tricky,  deceitful,  supplanting  mau^_who,  by_ 
ttLe^.power  and  grace  of  God,  was  transformed  into  the 
Jj^ii.hfiil,  trusting  patriarch. 

^  The  history  of  Jacob  revolves  around  seven  visions, 
four  of  which  may  be  placed  under  the  first  division 
spoken  of  above ;  the  other  three,  under  the  second  di- 
vision. 

I.  The  First  Manifestation  of  God  to  Jacob — 
Bethel — Flight  (chap,  xxviii.).  This  vision  is  con- 
nected with  the  past  (chap.  xxvii.^i^fi^Stolen  blessing) 
and  the  future  (chaps,  xxix.,  xxx.—t Jacob's  flight  and 
residence  with  MbaiT),  I— 

^Eapter  IweTfty^seven  narrates  the  incident  of  Jacob's 
theft  of  Esau's  blessing.  A  careful  study  of  the  chapter 
will  reveal  that  the  four  parties  engaged  in  the  trans- 

84 


The  History  of  Jacob  85 

action  were  all  of  tiiem  in  the  wrong  in  some  point  or 
oth^j^>^ 

(Isaac/  the  father,  should  have  remembered  that  at  the 
time-iM  the  birth  of  the  children  the  blessing  was  prom- 
ised to  Jacob.  He  should  not,  therefore,  have  made 
preparation  to  give  it  to  Esau.  Isaac  was  evidently  also 
wrong  in  assuming  that  the  time  of  his  death  had  come, 
which,  in  point  of  fact,  did  not  come  until  forty  years 
afterwards. 

fi€5eka^,  the  mother,  was  in  the  wrong  in  the  deceit- 
ful aii(f''1iypocritical  means  she  resorted  to  in  order  to 
bring  about  the  result  which  she  desired  ;  namely,  the 
bestowal  of  the  birthright  blessing  upon  her  favourite 
son.  Partiality  towards  children  in  a  family,  whether 
by  father  or  mother,  always  brings  trouble.  This  is  evi- 
dent in  the  life  of  Isaac's  family,  and  also  of  Jacob's. 
Indeed,  it  was  Jacob's  manifest  favouritism  towards 
Joseph  that  aroused  the  ire  and  jealousy  of  his  brethren, 
and  iiaused  him  to  be  sold  into  Egypt. 

'Esau  Kvas  grievously  wrong  in  this  transaction  in  that  he 
^ad  despised  this  birthright,  and  hence  had  forfeited  the 
r^ht  to  the  birthright  blessing.  It  was  not  until  he  saw 
the  unhappy  results  that  came  from  the  light  estimate  he 
had  put  upon  divine  blessing  that  he  was  sorry  for  what 
he  had  done.  The  New  Testament  (Hebrews  xii.  16,  17) 
makes  use  of  this  incident  to  warn  us  against  treating 
lightly  the  blessings  of  God.  The  "repentance"  spoken 
of  in  Hebrews  xii.  is  not  gospel  repentance,  and  no  argu- 
ment that  a  man  may  some  time  in  life  desire  to  repent 
but  will  not  be  able  to  do  so  should  be  based  on  this  in- 
cident. "What  Esau  failed  to  do  was  not  to  find  true  re- 
pentance, ])ut  to  find  any  way  by  which  he  might  change 
his  father's  mind  and  get  him  to  transfer  the  blessing, 
wliich  he  had  already  given  to  Jacob,  to  him, 
/'^ Jacob,' s  wrong  in  this  transaction  consisted  in  the  fact 


86  The  Book  of  Genesis 

that  he  took  advantage  of  his  brother's  weakness,  and 
used  wrong  means  to  bring  about  a  right  end.  Further, 
he  should  have  waited  God's  time  for  the  bringing  about 
of  the  fulfillment  of  the  promise  of  the  birthright  blessing. 

The  facts  of  this  chapter  are  emphasized  because  they 
are  closely  related  to  this  first  vision  or  manifestation  of 
God  to  Jacob.  The  whole  transaction  recorded  in  chap- 
ter twenty-seven  showed  that  the  persons  involved  sought 
wrong  ways  to  obtain  the  rightful  blessing  of  God.  Ap- 
parently these  wrong  ways  had  succeeded.  Jacob's  mind 
must  have  been  filled  with  these  thoughts  as  he  pursued 
his  way  towards  the  home  of  Laban.  It  must  not  be, 
however,  that  this  man,  who  is  to  play  so  large  a  part  in 
the  history  of  Israel,  shall  think  that  trickery,  rather 
than  trust  in  God  and  righteousness,  is  the  way  to  suc- 
cess. To  teach  Jacob  this  lesson,  God  grants  him  this 
manifestation  of  Himself. 

There  are  some  practical  lessons  here  for  us.  We,  too, 
are  often  tempted  to  be  impatient,  and  are  not  always 
willing  to  await  the  time  of  God's  activity.  Like  Abra- 
ham and  Sarah,  we  would  interpose  Hagar ;  like  Isaac 
and  Eebekah,  we  would  practice  deceit  in  order  to  bring 
about  the  thing  which  has  been  promised  to  us.  This  is 
of  Satan.  Just  as  the  devil  tempted  Christ  in  the  wil- 
derness (Matthew  iv.)  to  accomplish  right  ends  by  wrong 
means,  so  he  tempts  us. 

Jacob's  experience  in  exile  with  Laban  must  also  be 
considered  in  connection  with  this  first  manifestation  of 
God  to  Jacob.  Trickery  can  be  met  with  trickery. 
Others,  too,  are  shrewd  in  matters  of  deceit.  Jacob  is  to 
find  this  out  in  his  dealings  with  Laban  (chaps,  xxix., 
XXX.).  How  like  his  own  dealings  with  his  brother  and 
father  were  Laban's  dealings  with  him  !  How  Laban 
deceived  Jacob  in  the  matter  of  his  wives  (xxix.  15-30), 
his  flocks  and  possessions  (xxxi.  1,  2)  !    Had  Jacob  not 


The  History  of  Jacob  87 

met  with  a  man  like  Laban,  had  he  not  had  a  vision  of 
God  such  as  is  recorded  here,  he  would  have  attributed 
all  his  success  to  his  own  shrewdness,  cunning,  and  trick- 
ery. That  must  not  be.  God's  interposition  during  the 
time  of  Jacob's  sojourn  with  Laban  led  Jacob  to  feel 
that  the  favour  of  God,  and  not  his  own  shrewdness,  had 
brought  his  prosperity  (cf.  xxxi.  3-12,  16,  24,  38-42). 
Jacob  must  know  that  whatever  blessing  had  or  should 
in  the  future  come  into  his  life  was  from  God,  and  through 
grace. 

This  manifestation  of  God,  then,  was  granted  to  Jacob 
after  the  events  of  chapter  twenty-seven — the  stolen 
blessing,  and  before  chapterstwenty-nine  and  thirty — 
Jacob's  ordeal  with  Laban.  VTacob  is  in  flight ;  he  is 
running  away  for  fear  of  Esau,  his  brother.  At  the 
close  of  the  first  day's  flight,  tired  and  weary,  Jacob  lies 
down  to  sleep.  He  "dreamed,  and  behold  a  ladder  set 
up  on  the  earth,  and  the  top  of  it  reached  to  heaven  : 
and  behold  the  angels  of  God  ascending  and  descending 
on  it.  And,  behold,  the  Lord  stood  above  it,  and  said, 
I  am  the  Lord  God  of  Abraham  thy  father,  and  the  God 
of  Isaac  :  the  land  whereon  thou  liest,  to  thee  will  I  give 
it,  and  to  thy  seed  ;  And  thy  seed  shall  be  as  the  dust 
of  the  earth,  and  thou  shalt  spread  abroad  to  the  west, 
and  to  the  east,  and  to  the  north,  and  to  the  south  ;  and 
in  thee  and  in  thy  seed  shall  all  the  families  of  the  earth 
be  blessed.  And,  behold,  I  am  with  thee,  and  will  keep 
thee  in  all  places  whither  thou  goest,  and  will  bring  thee 
again  into  this  laud  ;  for  I  will  not  leave  thee,  until  I 
have  done  that  which  I  have  spoken  to  thee  of.  And 
Jacob  awaked  out  of  his  sleep,  and  he  said,  Surely  the 
Lord  is  in  this  place  ;  and  I  knew  it  not.  And  he  was 
afraid,  and  said,  How  dreadful  is  this  place !  this  is  none 
other  but  the  house  of  God,  and  this  is  the  gate  of  heaven. 
And  Jacob  rose  up  early  in  the  morning,  and  took  the 


88  The  Book  of  Genesis 

stone  that  he  had  put  for  his  pillows,  aud  set  it  up  for  a 
pillar,  and  poured  oil  upon  the  top  of  it.     Aud  he  called 
the  name  of  that  place  Bethel :  but  the  name  of  that  city 
was  called  Luz  at  the  first.     And  Jacob  vowed  a  vow, 
saying.  If  God  will  be  with  me,  and  will  keep  me  in  this 
way  that  I  go,  and  will  give  me  bread  to  eat,  and  rai- 
ment to  put  on,   so  that  I  come  again  to  my  father's 
house  in  peace ;  then  shall  the  Lord  be  my  God :  And 
this  stone,  which  I  have  set  for  a  pillar,  shall  be  God's 
house :  and  of  all  that  thou  shalt  give  me  I  will  surely 
give  the  tenth  unto  thee"  (xxviii.  12-22). 
^77*^18  vision  God  promises  five  things  to  Jacob  : 
I    ^irsu,    divine    companionship.     How  comforting  this 
fm^'liave  beenTo~Jac6"B^m  his  loneliness  and  with  the 
j  prospect  of  an  alien  country  before  him. 
y      Second,  jgrotection.     Jacob  would  feel  the  need  of  this, 
I  knowing  thevelrgeance  of  Esau,  and  apprehending  the 
dangers  that  lay  before  him  in  Syria. 

Thirfl,  snsfpmanpp-  With  nothing  but  his  staff  in  his 
hand,  Jacob  must  have  felt  greatly  encouraged  that  God 
had  promised  to  care  for  his  physical  needs  throughout 
all  the  days  of  his  life. 

Fourthj^  favour.  How  much  he  would  need  it,  being  a 
stranger  in  a  strange  country. 

iFLfth,  salvation.     Greatest  of  all  blessings  is  this  one, 
which  deals  with  the  soul's  relation  to  God.     Jacob  did 
i  not  deserve  such  a  vision,  but  God's  revelations  of  Him- 
\self  are  always  of  pure  grace  (Ephesians  ii.  8-10). 

At  the  top  of  this  ladder — or  perhaps  better,  stairway 
— stood  God,  while  all  along  its  steps  were  the  angels. 
In  John  i.  51  Christ  is  presented  to  us  as  the  ladder  that 
leads  to  God,  as  the  medium  between  God  and  man,  and 
man  and  God.  He  is  the  "Way,  the  Truth,  and  the  Life  ; 
no  man  cometh  unto  the  Father  but  by  Him  (John  xiv.  6). 

How  near  God  is  to  His  people  !     "  Closer  is  He  than 


The  History  of  Jacob  89 

breathing,  and  nearer  than  hands  or  feet."  Jacob  doubt- 
less learned  the  truth  that  Whittier  so  beautifully  por- 
trays : 

"  I  know  not  where  His  islands  lift 

Their  fronded  pahins  in  air ; 
I  only  know  I  cannot  drift 
Beyond  His  love  and  care." 

Jacob  will  learn  that  ''earth  is  crammed  with  heaven, 
and  every  common  bush  aflame  with  God. " 

Visions 

Jacob  awoke  and  found  that  the  vision  had  gone,  but 
the  purpose  that  had  been  born  in  the  vision  was  still  in 
his  heart,  just  as  in  the  case  of  Peter  and  the  vision  he 
received  and  the  purpose  formed  in  his  heart  because  of 
it,  on  the  housetop  of  Simon,  the  tanner,  at  Joppa  (Acts 
X.  11).  The  real  purpose  of  any  true  vision  is  not  for 
what  it  is  in  itself  alone,  but  for  the  results  it  will 
accomplish  and  the  influence  it  will  exert  in  one's  after 
life.  This  was  doubtless  the  thought  in  Christ's  mind 
when  He  told  the  disciples  who  had  witnessed  the  trans- 
figuration scene  "to  tell  no  man  "  of  the  vision.  There 
would  be  no  need  to  tell  it,  for  the  world  would  take 
knowledge  of  them  that  they  had  been  with  Jesus  and 
learned  of  Him.  Such  visions  as  this  save  life  from  its 
monotony  and  skepticism.  They  are  a  secret  of  godly 
living,  too,  for  there  is  a  constant  remembrance  that 
"Thou  God  seest  me."  Jesus  said,  in  speaking  to  the 
Father  of  His  disciples,  "  While  I  was  with  them,  I  kept 
them. "  The  disciples  found  it  hard  to  sin  in  His  presence. 
Such  a  vision  as  Jacob  received  ministers  also  to  one's 
comfort  and  peace,  for  God  had  said,  "I  will  not  leave 
thee  until  I  have  performed  that  which  I  have  promised. " 

Jacob  raised  a  pillar  in  commemoration  of  the  vision 
(xxviii.  18).     We  shall  see  later  that  he  came  back  to 


/; 


90  The  Book  of  Genesis 

this  very  pillar.     He  did  this,  doubtless,  to  keep  fresh  in 
his  mind  the  vision  that  God  had  given  him.     Would  it 
not  be  a  goodjhing  for  us  to  raise  some  pillar  to  remind 
us  of  some  vision  of  God  or  some  blessing  or  other  we 
\  have  received  from  His  hand.     Sight  helps  faith.     Prob- 
ably that  is  why  the  Lord  Jesus  gave  us  the  "Lord's 
Supper."     We  are  so  apt  to  forget  what  we  do  not  see. 
Eeligion  may  be  an  outward  as  well  as  an  inward  thing. 
/jVhat  pillar  have  you  raised  because  of  some  special 
\  WfiSSmg.  from  God  1    Is  it  the  gift  of  the  tithe,  the  prom- 
ise of  stated  hours  of  prayer  and  Bible  reading,  the 
assuming  of  some  definite  Christian  work,  the  offering  of 
yourself  to  missions,    or  the  ministry?    This  is  what 
visions  are  for — advancement  in  the  Christian  life. 

Jacob  vows  a  vow,  saying  :  "If  God  will  be  with  me, 
and  will  keep  me  in  this  way  that  I  go,  and  will  give  me 
bread  to  eat,  and  raiment  to  put  on,  so  that  I  come  again 
to  my  father's  house  in  peace,,,.tben  shall  the  Lord  be  my 
God  "  (xxviii.  20,  21).  The("  ifj)  here  does  not  indicate 
a  mercenary  bargain  that  Jacob  would  make  with  God. 
It  may  be  understood  in  the  sense  of  "Seeing  that 
Thou  wilt  be  all  these  things  (the  five  things  mentioned 
above)  to  me,  I  do  make  this  vow."  Jacob  forgot  this 
vow,  and  God  recalled  it  on  two  occasions  (xxxi.  13 ; 
ixxv.  1)  5  finally  he  kept  it. 

Vows 
Much  is  made  of  "  vows  "  in  the  Old  Testament,  and 
especially  in  connection  with  and  as  a  recognition  of  some 
particular  blessing  from  God.  Only  two  vows  are  men- 
tioned in  the  New  Testament,  and  both  are  made  by  Paul 
(Acts  xviii.  18  ;  xxi.  22-24).  Outside  of  these  references, 
the  vow  does  not  seem  to  have  taken  its  place  or  to  have 
been  practiced  as  a  Christian  institution.  Christians  are 
not  under  obligation  to  make  a  vow ;  but  when  one  is 


The  History  of  Jacob  gi 

voluntarily  made,  to  break  it  is  fraught  with  the  most 
awful  consequences  (Ecclesiastes  v.  1-6  ;  Numbers  xxx.  2). 
Can  you  look  back  in  your  own  life  and  see  where  you 
made  a  vow  to  God  and  committed  yourself  to  a  definite 
line  of  Christian  action  or  service?  Have  you  kept  that 
vow  ?     ''  God  will  surely  require  it  of  thee." 

This  is  the  second  mention  of  tithing.  The  first  was  in 
connection  with  Abraham  and  Melchizedek  (chap.  xiv.). 
Note  that  they  are  both  in  vogue  before  the  giving  of  the 
Law,  so  that  it  is  not  right  to  say  that  tithing  is  a  Jewish 
ordinance. 

Jacob  calls  the  place  of  vision  "  Bethel,"  which  means 
''the  house  of  God"(xxviii.  17,  19,  22).  Doubtless 
^•Jf'^^nlxXPanzed  God's  actual  presence  more  here  than  any- 
where  else.  Of  course,  God  is  everywhere,  not  in  the 
pantheistic,  but  in  the  spiritual  sense. 

"  Lord,  where  e'er  Thy  people  meet, 
There  they  find  the  mercy  seat ; 
And  where  e'er  they  seek  Thee,  Thou  art  found. 
And  every  spot  is  hallowed  ground." 

^ethel,  undoubtedly,  marked  the  place  of  what  may  be 
tgrmed  Jacob's.CQnj^fimQQ-.  To  this  place  and  this  vision 
Jacob  comes  back  again  and  again.  Here  it  was  he 
vowed  his  vow  and  erected  his  pillar  (xxxi.  13).  Qijd  is 
taJiim  the  God  of  Bethel — ^"  I  am  the  God  that  appeared 
to  thee  at  Bethel.j'  Up  to  this  time  he  had  known  God 
QJily  through  his  father  and  mother  and  their  teach- 
ing^ Now  he  knows  God  for  himself  through  a  heart 
jgxpfirifijice^  No  'wonder  he  desires  to  erect  a  memorial 
on  this  spot.  All  these  things  show  that,  deep  down  in 
Jacob's  heart,  there  was  something  fine  and  splendid. 

2.  The  Second  Manifestation  of  God  to  Jacob — 
Padan-aram — Return  (chap.  xxxi.).    This  vision  of  God 


92  The  Book  of  Genesis 

was  granted  to  Jacob  while  still  in  the  employ  of  Laban, 
and  amid  circumstances  of  great  discontent  on  Jacob's 
part.  Things  were  not  going  smoothly  between  Laban 
and  Jacob.  This  servant  of  God  had  been  long  enough 
in  a  heathen  country,  and  must  now  separate  himself 
from  its  environment  if  he  would  make  progress  in  his 
religious  life.  There  can  be  no  progress  as  long  as  he 
remains  with  Laban,  the  worldling.  God  would  now 
separate  Jacob  for  his  destined  work.  It  is  not  too  much 
to  say  that  the  Lord  permitted  Laban  to  act  thus  in 
order  that  Jacob  might  be  discontented  with  his  stay  in 
Syria. 

We  are  not  to  understand  that  this  discontent  had  arisen 
on  account  of  Jacob's  scheming.  Indeed,  it  is  a  question 
whether  he  had  been  a  schemer  through  and  through,  as 
some  would  have  us  believe,  during  the  time  he  was  in 
Laban' s  employ.  Indeed,  a  careful  study  of  the  chapter 
reveals  the  fact  that  Laban,  not  Jacob,  was  the  schemer 
(cf.  xxxi.  6-8,  15,  42),  whereas  Jacob  had  been  faithful 
in  the  service  he  had  rendered  (xxxi.  38-42),  and  had 
depended  upon  God  (even  though  in  a  limited  way)  for 
his  success  (xxxi.  9-13,  42).  The  success  that  had  at- 
tended Laban  was  due  to  Jacob's  thrift  (xxx.  27  ;  xxxi. 
38-41). 

A  second  purpose  of  this  manifestation  of  God  to  Jacob 
was  to  demonstrate  the  faithfulness  of  God  in  keeping 
His  promises  and  in  protecting  His  children.  In  this 
vision  God  declares  Himself  to  be  ''The  God  of  Bethel, 
where  thou  anointedst  the  pillar,  and  where  thou  vowedst 
a  vow  unto  me  :  now  arise,  get  thee  out  from  this  land, 
and  return  unto  the  land  of  thy  kindred."  God  had 
promised  Jacob  at  Bethel  that  He  would  bring  him  back 
again  to  this  place.  He  had  watched  over  His  child  for 
these  twenty  years  (xxxi.  38).  He  had  observed  his 
suffering,    discontent,   and  unjust  treatment  by   Laban 


The  History  of  Jacob  93 

(ver.  42),  just  as  He  had  seeu  the  affliction  of  His  people 
iu  the  bondage  of  Egypt.  As  He  came  down  to  deliver 
them  from  the  oppression  of  Pharaoh,  so  He  will  now 
deliver  Jacob  from  the  deceit  of  Labau. 

In  this  chapter  God  is  seeu  protecting  His  children, 
not  only  from  sin,  but  from  personal,  bodily  harm 
(vers.  24,  29).  "The  Lord  is  mindful  of  His  own." 
This  truth  we  have  seen  illustrated  before  in  the  case  of 
Abraham  and  Abimelech,  and  Isaac  and  Abimelech 
(chaps,  xii.,  xx.).  This  is  the  lesson  that  Saul  of 
Tarsus  had  to  learn,  when,  on  his  way  to  Damascus  to 
persecute  the  saints  of  God,  he  was  stopped  in  his 
mad  career  by  the  Head  of  the  Church,  the  Picket 
Guard  of  His  people,  who  was  keeping  watch  over  His 
own. 

God  protects  His  children,  not  only  from  the  harm  that 
may  be  done  to  them  by  their  fellowmen,  but  also  from 
the  great  enemy  of  their  souls,  even  Satan.  Even  the 
devil  can  go  only  as  far  as  he  is  permitted  to  go  by  God 
(cf.  Job  i.  6-12 ;  ii.  1-7  ;  Luke  xxii.  31,  32). 

Divine  Guidance 
There  is  a  wonderful  lesson  in  divine  guidance  in  this 
chapter  in  connection  with  Jacob's  leaving  Laban  to 
return  to  his  own  country.  First,  Jacob  had  the  word 
and  promise  of  God  that  He  would  bring  him  back. 
Second,  he  had  the  inward  impression,  corroborating 
that  word  of  God  that  it  was  time  to  turn  his  face  towards 
home.  Third,  he  had  the  opportunity  in  that  circum- 
stances were  in  his  favour.  All  his  family  were  with 
him  iu  his  resolution.  These  three  things  ought  to  be 
harmonious  in  every  life  that  is  truly  led  of  God.  A 
man  may  feel  that  he  has  a  promise  of  God  on  which  to 
step  out,  and  an  inward  conviction,  corroborating  it,  and 
yet  there  may  be  no  favourable  circumstances  or  no  open 


94  The  Book  of  Genesis 

door  in  His  service.  Or  he  may  have  an  inward  impres- 
sion as  to  a  certain  thing  to  be  done,  but  have  no  clear 
word  of  God.  Or,  again,  he  may  have  both  a  word  of 
God  and  an  open  door  of  opportunity  but  no  inward  con- 
viction. It  is  not  yet  time  for  him  to  move.  Of  course, 
we  should  remember  in  this  connection  that  there  are 
times  when  even  our  own  loved  ones  would  seek  to  hinder 
us  from  carrying  out  the  will  of  God.  Under  such  cir- 
cumstances, we  are  to  choose  the  will  of  God  in  spite  of 
their  objections  (Matthew  viii.  21,  22  ;  x.  34-37),  unless 
there  be  filial  relationships  which  demand  that  we  care 
for  those  who  are  our  own  and  of  our  own  household 
(cf.  Mark  vii.  10-13 ;  1  Timothy  v.  8). 

A  lesson  is  to  be  learned  from  Rachel  and  her  love  of 
idols  (xix.  30-35).  Sometimes  those  whom  we  most  love 
prove  the  greatest  hindrance  to  us  in  our  Christian  journey. 
The  idols  that  Rachel,  Jacob's  most  beloved  wife,  brought 
with  her,  got  Jacob  into  trouble.  Instead  of  burying  her 
idols,  Rachel  should  have  burned  them,  as  Moses  did  the 
golden  calf.  Buried  idols  may  be  dug  up,  burned  idols 
cannot. 

What  a  misuse  has  been  made  of  the  word  "  Mizpah  " 
(vers.  43-52).  It  is  used  nowadays  as  a  benediction  ; 
whereas  it  is  the  language  of  jealousy,  suspicion,  and 
distrust.  Has  not  the  time  come  for  us  to  cease  using  a 
word  to  indicate  blessing  which  clearly  indicates  the 
opposite  ? 

3.  The  Third  Manifestation  of  God  to  Jacob — Maha- 
naim  (chap,  xxxii.).  This  divine  manifestation  assumes 
the  form  of  two  hosts  of  angels,  and  is  doubtless  connected 
with  the  departure  of  Laban  on  the  one  hand,  and  the 
approach  of  Esau  on  the  other.  Both  these  men  took  a 
hostile  attitude  towards  Jacob,  which  led  the  patriarch  to 
fear  them  both.     It  may  be  that  the  vision  of  angels 


The  History  of  Jacob  95 

which  Jacob  saw — oue  band  between  himself  and  the 
departing  Laban,  and  the  other  between  himself  and  the 
approaching  Esau — was  God's  encouragement  to  him  to 
fear  neither  Laban  nor  Esau,  but  rest  securely  and  safely 
in  the  divine  protection  and  promise.  Undoubtedly  these 
"two  bands,"  which  is  the  meaning  of  "Mahanaim," 
had  also  some  reference  to  the  two  bands  (Mahanoth) 
which  he  himself  had  prepared  (cf.  vers.  2,  7).  How 
weak  and  needless  was  his  preparation  to  meet  Esau, 
compared  with  that  which  God  had  made !  Some  would 
say  that  this  vision  of  the  angelic  bands  was  connected 
more  with  the  approach  of  Esau  than  with  the  departure 
of  Laban,  and  yet  both  truths  are  here.  Not  a  "pillar  " 
(xxxi.  52),  but  the  angels  of  God,  would  protect  Jacob 
from  the  anger  of  Laban.  Not  by  fawning  and  scheming 
and  patronizing  (xxxii.  4-9),  but  an  angel  band  could 
deliver  him  from  the  oncoming  wrath  of  Esau.  God's 
battles  are  not  fought  by  erecting  pillars,  scheming,  fawn- 
ing, or  patronizing,  but  by  reliance  upon  the  divine 
promise  and  power. 

How  much  is  made  of  angels  in  these  visions !  Going 
out  from  his  home,  Jacob  met  angels  (xxviii.  12)  ;  while 
in  exile,  he  was  visited  by  them  (xxxi.  11)  ;  now,  return- 
ing home,  he  meets  them  (vers.  31,  32).  Here  are  two 
bands  of  angels.  Do  we  believe  in  angels  ?  We  used  to. 
Ephesians  vi.  and  2  Kings  vi.  teach  that  we  are  sur- 
rounded by  the  angelic  forces  of  the  invisible  world. 
They  were  with  Christ  in  the  temptation  (Matthew  iv.  11) 
and  in  Gethsemane  (Luke  xxii.  43).  They  were  with 
Elisha  on  the  mount  (2  Kings  vi.  17).  They  are  with 
God's  people  all  the  time.  "  The  angel  of  the  Lord  en- 
campeth  round  about  them  that  fear  him,  and  delivereth 
them"  (Psalm  xxxiv.  7). 

Jacob  should  have  slept  in  peace  with  such  an  angelic 
environment  and  protection,  just  as  David  did  at  this 


96  The  Book  of  Genesis 

same  place.  David,  wheu  pursued  by  Absalom,  came  to 
this  very  spot  and  doubtless  recalled  what  had  happened 
to  Jacob  there  and  how  the  bauds  of  angels  had  visited 
him.  It  was  on  this  spot,  doubtless,  and  certainly  in  this 
connection  that  David  wrote  the  words  of  the  psalm,  "I 
will  both  lay  me  down  in  peace  and  sleep,  for  thou,  Lord, 
maketh  me  to  dwell  in  safety,  solitary  though  I  am."  So 
died  General  Gordon,  the  hero  of  Khartoum,  saying  with 
his  last  breath,  "  The  hosts  of  God  are  with  me — Maha- 
naim."  Let  us  heed  God's  promises,  and  not  only  commit 
our  way  unto  Him,  but  trust  also  in  Him. 

The  fact  of  a  "memorial"  is  again  referred  to  here. 
So  far  we  have  had  three  references  to  it : 

First,  a  memorial  for  God's  house — suggesting  the  divine 
presence  (xxviii.  17). 

Second,  for  '*  God's  host  " — suggesting  the  divine  power 
(xxxii.  2). 

Third,  for  "  God's  face  " — suggesting  the  divine  fellow- 
ship (xxxii.  30). 

4.  The  Fourth  Manifestation  of  God  to  Jacob — 
Peniel  (xxxii.  24-32).  Even  after  the  vision  of  God's 
hosts,  which  ought  to  have  been  a  source  of  comfort  and 
assurance  to  Jacob  that  God  was  able  to  deliver  him  out 
of  all  difficulty,  we  find,  according  to  verses  3-23,  that 
Jacob  set  to  work  to  plan  and  scheme  how  he  might  best 
overcome  the  anger  and  enmity  of  his  brother,  Esau.  To 
Jacob,  Esau  is  the  main  barrier  between  himself  and  his 
place  in  the  promised  land.  God  would  teach  Jacob,  by 
means  of  this  manifestation,  that  Jehovah  Himself,  and 
not  Esau,  was  the  real  adversary  ;  that  before  Jacob  can 
conquer  men,  he  must  conquer  God.  Jehovah,  not  Esau, 
is  the  proprietor  of  the  land,  the  possession  of  which  is  to 
be  obtained  by  promise,  and  not  by  carnal  policy.  No 
such  schemer  as  Jacob  can  inherit  God's  land.     Not  as 


The  History  of  Jacob  97 

"Jacob,"  which  means  "supplauter,"  but  as  "Israel," 
"the  prince  with  God,"  can  he  enter  the  home  land.  If 
the  previous  vision  was  for  Jacob's  encouragement,  this 
one  is  for  his  instruction.  He  must  be  taught  that  "  the 
weapons  of  our  warfare  are  not  carnal,"  but  spiritual ; 
that  God's  battles  are  fought,  not  by  human  power  or 
might,  but  by  God's  Spirit  (Zechariah  iv.  6). 

Jacob  Wrestling.  So  Jacob,  after  having  divided  his 
party  into  two  bands  and  making  preparation  for  meet- 
ing his  brother,  is  left  alone.  It  would  hardly  seem,  from 
a  careful  reading  of  the  narrative,  that  Jacob  stayed  be- 
hind to  pray  or  to  plead  with  God.  It  is  a  real  question 
whether  Jacob  wanted  this  interview  with  the  divine  Ad- 
versary, nor  is  it  apparent  that  Jacob  was  either  looking 
for  or  expecting  such  an  experience.  This  is  hardly  the 
picture,  so  often  presented  to  us,  of  a  man  agonizing  in 
prayer  with  God.  It  is  rather  a  picture  of  God  really 
thrashing  Jacob.  Jehovah  had  tried  before  to  take  all 
the  shrewdness  and  trickery  out  of  this  man.  He  had  tried 
by  disappointment  (chap,  xxix. ),  trouble  (chap.  xxx. ), 
opposition  (chap  xxxi.),  but  to  no  effect,  for  Jacob  in  this 
chapter  (xxxii.)  is  back  again  at  his  old  tricks,  schem- 
ing, planning.  All  this  must  be  thrashed  out  of  him. 
God  must  bend  and  also  break  Jacob.  It  is  worthy  of  note 
in  this  connection  that  not  until  Jacob  stopped  wrestling 
and  fighting,  and  actually  clung  to  God,  did  he  get  the 
desired  blessing. 

Jacob  had  contended  with  Esau  for  the  birthright,  and 
succeeded.  He  had  contended  with  Esau  for  the  blessing, 
and  succeeded.  He  had  contended  with  Laban  for  his 
flocks  and  herds,  and  succeeded.  He  now  contends  with 
God,  andfails,  thatistosay,  he  fails  by  wrestling.  "Jacob  " 
fails,  but  "  Israel "  wins.  Jacob's  name  is  changed  ;  now 
God  rules  and  orders  this  man's  life.  The  laud  of  prom- 
ise is  to  be  by  grace  and  gift,  and  not  by  works  and  human 


98  The  Book  of  Genesis 

shrewdness.  God  Himself  must  give  him  the  laud  (ef. 
''  Except  thou  bless  me  ")•  Jacob  had  learned  his  lesson 
— that  not  shrewdness,  cleverness,  or  smartness,  but  a  trust 
and  confidence  in  God  wins  God's  battles,  and  overcomes 
difficulties  in  the  line  of  duty.  "  The  Lord  preserveth 
the  simple "  (Psalm  cxvi.  6).  The  clever  take  care  of 
themselves,  and  this  is  the  reason  why  they  so  often  get 
into  such  serious  trouble. 

Jacob  is  left  lame,  limping,  clinging.  ''The  lame  take 
the  prey."  We  enter  into  life  halt  and  maimed.  "The 
men  of  the  past  demanded  the  flight  of  the  eagle  ;  none 
but  Christ  would  receive  the  bird  with  a  broken  wing. 
They  wrote  upon  the  portals  of  their  heavens,  '  The  halt 
and  the  maimed  enter  not  here. '  Greece  demanded  the 
beautiful ;  Eome  called  for  the  strong ;  Judea  summoned 
the  good ;  only  Jesus  Christ  called  for  the  weary,  heavy 
laden,  and  broken  of  heart  and  life.  The  Greek  could 
only  come  in  the  car  of  Venus  ;  the  Jew  could  only  ascend 
in  the  chariot  of  Elijah  ;  the  Christian  alone  can  limp  and 
totter  into  the  kingdom. "  The  break  of  the  day  came  to 
Jacob,  and  the  sun  rose  upon  him,  as  well  as  within  him, 
in  the  shrinking  of  the  sinew.  From  this  point  on,  Jacob 
is  a  changed  man,  he  is  "the  man  with  the  shrunken 
sinew." 

This  change  in  Jacob  is  particularly  noticeable  in  the 
prayer  recorded  in  xxxii.  9-12,  which  is  really  the  first 
personal  prayer  in  the  Bible.  All  other  prayers  up  to 
this  point  are  in  the  nature  of  intercession.  Note  how 
Jacob  pleads  the  promises  of  God.  What  faith,  humility, 
and  simplicity  are  manifest  in  this  prayer  ! 

God  answers  this  prayer  in  changing  the  mind,  heart, 
and  attitude  of  Esau  towards  Jacob,  his  brother.  The  sud- 
den change  of  front  shown  by  Esau  can  be  accounted  for 
only  on  the  basis  that  God  heard  and  answered  the  prayer 
of  Jacob.     Esau  certainly  could  not  have  been  afraid  of 


The  History  of  Jacob  99 

the  small,  weak  companies  which  Jacob  had  provided  ;  he 
could  not  have  been  impressed  by  the  "limping"  form, 
of  his  brother, 

Jacob  asks  the  name  of  the  mysterious  Person  who 
wrestles  with  him.  Jacob  would  fathom  the  mystery  sur- 
rounding this  unknown  supernatural  Being.  Probably 
he  felt  as  we  often  do,  that  if  we  know  the  name  of  a  per- 
son or  thing,  we  then  know  the  nature  of  it.  Yet  would 
not  the  giving  of  a  name  tend  to  discourage  inquiry  ?  The 
craving  we  all  have,  in  common  with  Jacob,  is  to  have 
the  mystery  between  God  and  us  wiped  away,  so  that  we 
may  know  Him  as  we  know  friends.  This  cannot  be ;  we 
cannot  yet  know  God  as  He  is.  There  is  a  good  deal  of 
mystery  in  our  religion  ;  in  the  very  nature  of  the  case  it 
must  be  so.  We  must  not  forget,  however,  that  however 
much  mystery  there  is  in  religion,  there  would  be  very 
much  more  mystery  without  it. 

There  is  no  doubt  but  what  it  was  a  difficult  thing  for 
Jacob  to  fix  up  the  old  quarrel  with  Esau,  but  it  had  to 
be  done  before  he  could  possess  his  part  in  the  promised 
land.  So  must  it  be  with  us  ;  we  must  seek  reconciliation 
with  those  with  whom  we  have  been  estranged,  before  we 
can  have  the  blessing  of  God  upon  us  (Matthew  v.  22,  23 ; 
Ephesiansiv.  26). 

5.  The  Fifth  Manifestation  of  God  to  Jacob— The 
Forgotten  Vow  (xxxv.  1-8).  It  appears  from  the  con- 
text surrounding  this  manifestation  that  Jacob  had  prac- 
tically settled  himself  as  a  citizen  in  Shechem.  He  seems 
to  have  abandoned  the  "  tent "  life  which  indicated  his 
pilgrim  character,  and  built  for  himself  a  house.  The 
controversy  between  Jacob,  the  members  of  his  family, 
and  the  families  of  Shechem,  as  narrated  in  chapter 
thirty-four,  would  seem  to  indicate  that  Jacob  had  already 
become  pretty  well  settled  in  Shechem.     It  would  hardly 


lOO  The  Book  of  Genesis 

seem  possible  for  the  patriarch  and  his  family  to  have 
made  such  progress  and  become  so  settled  in  this  godless 
country  without  having  compromised,  in  some  resj^ect  at 
least,  their  religious  convictions  and  practices. 

The  fearful  results  of  Jacob's  sojourn  in  this  godless 
country  are  graphically  portrayed  in  chapter  thirty-four. 
His  family  was  practically  ruined  morally,  and  had  not 
God  manifested  His  own  hand  in  the  delivery  of  the 
patriarchal  family,  the  probabilities  are  that  the  chosen 
seed  would  have  been  obliterated  because  of  the  slaughter 
that  followed  (xxxv.  6).  Is  this  another  attempt  of  Satan 
to  destroy  the  promised  seed  *? 

In  the  midst  of  these  troublous  circumstances,  God  ap- 
peared to  Jacob  and  said,  ' '  Arise,  go  up  to  Bethel  and 
dwell  there  ;  and  make  there  an  altar  unto  God  that  ap- 
peared unto  thee  when  thou  fleddest  from  the  face  of 
Esau,  thy  brother."  Jacob's  response  to  this  command 
of  God  is  set  forth  in  the  following  words  :  ''  Then  Jacob 
said  unto  his  household,  and  to  all  that  were  with  him. 
Put  away  the  strange  gods  that  are  among  you,  and 
be  clean,  and  change  your  garments  :  And  let  us  arise, 
and  go  up  to  Bethel ;  and  I  will  make  there  an  altar  unto 
God,  who  answered  me  in  the  day  of  my  distress,  and  was 
with  me  in  the  way  which  I  went.  And  they  gave  unto 
Jacob  all  the  strange  gods  which  were  in  their  hand,  and 
all  their  earrings  which  were  in  their  ears  ;  and  Jacob 
hid  them  under  the  oak  which  was  by  Shechem."  These 
verses  give  us  an  intimation,  at  least,  of  the  awful  irrelig- 
ious condition  into  which  Jacob's  family  had  fallen. 

Jacob  evidently  cannot  build  an  acceptable  altar  to 
God  in  Shechem,  nor  can  God  bless  the  life  of  His  servant 
as  He  would  like  to  do,  as  long  as  he  remains  in  the  midst 
of  such  idolatrous  surroundings.  Jacob  must  go  back  to 
Bethel,  the  house  of  God. 

It  seems,  that  Jacob  had  lived  about  twenty  years  iu 


The  History  of  Jacob  loi 

Sliecbem  which  was  but  thirty  miles  from  Bethel — so  near 
aud  yet  so  far  from  the  place  of  blessing.  Thirty  years 
had  passed  by  since  Jacob  made  his  vow  to  return  to 
Bethel.  All  the  conditions  of  the  vow  had  long  ago  been 
fulfilled.  Jacob  had  promised  to  go  back  to  the  place 
where  God  blessed  him,  to  erect  a  pillar  there,  to  give  a 
tithe  of  all  that  God  had  given  him,  to  consecrate  him- 
self to  the  service  of  God.  The  patriarch  apparently 
had  forgotten  his  vow,  but  God  had  not  (Ecclesiastes 
V.  1-6). 

The  sorrow  and  trouble  that  came  into  the  home  of  the 
patriarch  while  residing  in  Shechem  is  used  to  bring  to 
his  remembrance  the  vow  he  had  made.  God  would  have 
this  man  know  that  there  is  something  more  for  His 
chosen  ones  to  do  than  to  raise  sheep  or  build  houses. 
Trouble  leads  us  back  to  God  ofttimes  when  nothing  else 
will  (Psalm  cxix.  G7). 

The  mention  of  Bethel  again  would,  in  itself,  be  a 
spiritual  uplift  and  revival  in  the  religious  experience  of 
Jacob  which  had  been  decaying. 

At  last  Jacob  is  awakened,  and  there  is  moral  and  relig- 
ious house  cleaning  among  his  own  family.  Even  from 
his  beloved  Eachel  he  takes  her  idols.  He  is  determined 
now  to  go  back  again  to  his  first  love.  He  will  go  back 
again  to  Bethel. 

The  effect  of  Jacob's  determination  to  do  the  whole  will 
of  God  is  felt  by  the  nations  around  about  (xxxv.  5). 
No  man  can  be  thoroughly  given  up  to  God,  and  those 
around  about  him  not  feel  the  effect  of  his  life  (Psalm  li. 
12-13  ;  Luke  xxii.  32). 

"  So  Jacob  came  to  Luz,  which  is  in  the  laud  of  Canaan, 
that  is,  Bethel,  he,  and  all  the  people  that  were  with  him. 
And  he  built  there  an  altar,  and  called  the  place  El- 
Bethel  ;  because  there  God  appeared  unto  him,  when  he 
fled  from  the  face  of  his  brother  "  (vers.  6,  7).     Verse  six 


102  The  Book  of  Genesis 

tells  us  that  Jacob  came  to  Bethel,  he  and  all  the  people 
that  were  with  him.  Doubtless  he  found  this  altar  iu  a 
dilapidated  condition.  The  revival  of  his  spiritual  life 
demanded  the  rebuilding  of  the  altar  unto  God.  How 
the  experiences  of  the  patriarch  resemble  the  experiences 
of  many  of  God's  people  to-day,  who,  by  reason  of  their 
laxity  and  backsliding,  have  allowed  the  family  altar  to 
be  forgotten  and  to  fall  into  decay  !  The  first  sign  of  re- 
vival in  the  spiritual  life  will  be  manifested  by  the  re- 
establishing of  the  family  altar  in  the  home. 

6.  The  Sixth  Manifestation  of  God  to  Jacob — 
Bethel  again  (xxxv.  9-15).  This  new  vision  of  God  was 
given  to  Jacob  doubtless  to  assure  him  that  God  was  well 
pleased  with  the  advance  step  he  had  taken  in  his  relig- 
ious life. 

Here  again  emphasis  is  laid  on  the  change  in  Jacob's 
name.  This  indicates  a  very  definite  dealing  of  God  with 
Jacob.  In  xxxii.  27,  28  it  is  said  that  Jacob's  name 
shall  he  no  more  Jacob,  but  Israel.  In  the  particular 
vision  we  are  studying,  the  statement  is  made,  *'Thy 
name  is  Jacob  :  thy  name  shalt  not  be  called  any  more 
Jacob,  but  Israel  shall  be  thy  name  :  and  he  called  his 
name  Israel. "  Jacob  had  probably  sufficiently  awakened 
to  the  fact  that  the  old  "  Jacob  "  nature  must  forever  be 
mortified,  and  that  nature  which  is  indicated  by  "  Israel  " 
must  reign  in  his  life.  It  is  interesting  to  note  that  Peter, 
the  apostle,  passed  through  a  similar  experience.  In 
John  i.  42  Christ  said  to  the  apostle,  ''Thou  shalt  be 
called  Peter  ;"  whereas  in  Matthew  xvi.  18  Jesus  said 
unto  him,  "  Thou  art  Peter."  Thou  shalt  be  called,  thou 
art,  Israel.     Thou  shalt  be  called,  thou  art,  Peter. 

It  is  also  interesting  to  note  in  connection  with  the 
change  of  Jacob's  name  that  Bethel,  which  before  had 
been   called    "Luz"    as    well   as  Bethel,   is  known  as 


The  History  of  Jacob  103 

*'  Bethel  "  aloue  ever  after  this  event.  Its  name  is  never 
again  changed. 

Jehovah  again  reaffirms  the  promise  made  to  Abraham, 
I^aac  and  Jacob  (xxxv.  11,  12). 

The  result  of  this  vision  was  that  Jacob  set  up  a  pillar 
in  the  place  where  God  talked  with  him,  "even  a  pillar 
of  stone  :  and  he  poured  a  drink  offering  thereon,  and  he 
poured  oil  thereon.  And  Jacob  called  the  name  of  the 
place  where  God  spake  with  him  Bethel "  (vers.  14,  15). 
Probably  the  old  pillar  which  he  had  set  up  before 
(xxviii.  18)  had  fallen  down.  What  memories  of  his  pre- 
vious dealing  with  God  must  have  come  to  the  patriarch 
as  he  recalled  the  dealings  of  God  with  him.  In  all, 
Jacob  raised  four  pillars  :  one  at  Bethel  (chap,  xxviii.)  ; 
one  at  Galeed  (xxxi.  45j ;  a  second  at  Bethel  (xxxv.  14)  ; 
and  one  at  Eachel's  grave  (xxxv.  20). 

It  is  interesting  to  note  in  connection  with  visions  four 
and  five  that  three  deaths  are  recorded — that  of  Deborah, 
Eebekah's  nurse  (xxxv.  8)  ;  that  of  Eachel,  Jacob's  wife 
(xxxv.  16-20) ;  and  that  of  Isaac,  Jacob's  father  (xxxv. 
27-29).  The  word  "  but  "  in  xxxv.  8  would  seem  to  in- 
dicate that  visions  of  God  and  consecration  of  life  do  not 
exempt  us  from  the  ordinary  trials  of  life  to  which  men 
are  subject.  These  visions,  however,  do  give  grace  to 
bear  the  trials  of  life  when  they  come,  so  that  we  do  not 
sorrow  as  others  which  have  no  hope.  That  Jacob  re- 
ceived strength  from  this  vision  to  bear  the  trials  of  life 
is  evident  from  the  fact  that  he  calls  Benjamin,  at  whose 
birth  Rachel  gave  up  her  life,  "son  of  my  strength"  and 
not  "Benoni,"  "son  of  my  sorrow."  No  consecration 
of  life  can  deliver  us  from  hours  of  trial  and  sorrow, 
which  come  to  all  the  sons  of  men.  Just  as  we  cannot 
see  the  rainbow  except  as  we  see  it  through  falling  rain- 
drops, so  there  are  visions  of  God  which  we  can  never 
have  except  we  see  them  through  our  falling  tears. 


104  '^^^  Book  of  Genesis 

7,  The  Seventh  Manifestation  of  God  to  Jacob — 
Beer-sheba  (xlvi.  1-7).  Note  here  that  it  is  said  that 
God  spake  unto  Israel  (cf.  xxxv.  10).  This  vision  is 
given  to  the  patriarch  in  connection  with  an  intended 
visit  to  Egypt.  It  seemed  necessary  on  account  of  the 
famine  that  had  come  upon  the  land  for  Jacob  to  send 
down  to  Egypt  for  food.  The  patriarch  recalled,  how- 
ever, the  experience  of  Abraham,  and  Isaac,  his  father 
and  grandfather  ;  he  was  aware  of  the  spiritual  loss  they 
had  sustained  by  leaving  the  land  of  God's  choice. 
Jacob  doubtless  recalled  his  own  experience  in  Shechem 
and  the  trouble  it  had  brought  to  him,  with  the  result 
that  he  was  afraid  any  longer  to  deviate  from  the  chosen 
path  of  God.  He  is  evidently  seeking  guidance,  and  this 
vision  is  granted  probably  in  answer  to  a  prayer  of  Jacob. 
He  has  learned  the  lesson,  which  it  is  well  for  us  to  learn, 
also,  that  it  is  not  always  safe  to  follow  the  example  of 
others,  even  of  good  men  like  Abraham  and  Isaac.  Fol- 
low God's  leading. 

This  vision  is  recorded  in  the  following  words  :  ''And 
Israel  took  his  journey  with  all  that  he  had,  and  came  to 
Beer-sheba,  and  offered  sacrifice  unto  the  God  of  his 
father  Isaac.  And  God  spake  unto  Israel  in  the  visions 
of  the  night,  and  said,  Jacob,  Jacob.  And  he  said. 
Here  am  I.  And  he  said,  I  am  God,  the  God  of  thy 
father  :  fear  not  to  go  down  into  Egypt ;  for  I  will  there 
make  of  thee  a  great  nation  :  I  will  go  down  with  thee 
into  Egypt ;  and  I  will  also  surely  bring  thee  up  again  : 
and  Joseph  shall  put  his  hand  upon  thine  eyes  "  (xlvi. 
1-4). 

Jacob  is  told  ''to  fear  not  to  go  down  into  Egypt." 
There  was  ground  for  apprehension ;  where  so  great  a 
man  as  Abraham  had  failed,  there  was  room  for  fear 
(cf.  Hebrews  iv.  1 ;  1  Corinthians  x.  11-13). 

God  commands  Jacob  to  ' '  dwell  there. ' '    The  divine 


The  History  of  Jacob  105 

presence  is  promised  even  in  Egypt.  It  is  right  for  us 
to  go  down  into  Egypt  when  we  have  a  distinct  divine 
command  to  do  so,  for  then  God  will  give  His  angels 
charge  to  keep  us.  We  must  not  go  into  Egypt,  how- 
ever, on  our  own  account  or  because  we  lose  faith  in  di- 
vine provision,  for  then  we  will  surely  fall. 

God  promises,  not  only  to  go  down  into  Egypt  with 
Jacob,  but  also  to  bring  him  up  again  and  to  comfort 
him  while  there,  for  the  words,  "Joseph  shall  put  his 
hand  upon  thine  eyes,"  indicate  that  his  own  son,  Joseph, 
would  be  with  him  to  comfort  him  at  the  hour  of  his 
death.  That  God  did  actually  bring  the  body  of  Jacob 
up  from  Egypt  is  evident  from  1.  7,  12,  13 — "And 
Joseph  went  up  to  bury  his  father :  and  with  him  went 
up  all  the  servants  of  Pharaoh,  the  elders  of  his  house, 
and  all  the  elders  of  the  land  of  Egypt."  "And  his 
sous  did  unto  him  according  as  he  commanded  them  : 
For  his  sons  carried  him  into  the  land  of  Canaan,  and 
buried  him  in  the  cave  of  the  field  of  Machpelah,  which 
Abraham  bought  with  the  field  for  a  possession  of  a 
burying-place  of  Ephron  the  Hittite,  before  Mamre." 

The  promise  of  God  to  Jacob,  which  is  here  reaffirmed, 
is  fourfold  and  deals  : 

First,  with  Enlargement— "I  will  there  make  of  thee 
a  great  nation. " 

Second,  with  Protection — "I  will  go  down  with  thee 
into  Egypt. " 

Third,  with  Consolation — "And  Joseph  shall  put  his 
hand  upon  thine  eyes." 

Fourth,  with  Restoratiou — "I  will  also  surely  bring 
thee  up  again." 

So  Jacob,  the  patriarch,  after  all  the  varying  vicissi- 
tudes of  his  religious  life,  died  in  the  faith  (xlviii. 
21,  22  ;  xlix.  1,  2),  and  was  buried  with  his  fathers 
(xlix.  28-30 ;  1.  13j. 


lo6  The  Book  of  Genesis 

Jacob's  desire  as  expressed  in  the  words,  "Bury  me 
with  my  fathers  "  is  pathetically  beautiful  and  strikingly 
full  of  faith.  The  patriarch  died  in  the  firm  expectation 
of  awaking  some  day  in  the  image  of  God  and  in  the 
midst  of  his  own  people. 

"  He  will  keep  me  till  the  river 
Rolls  its  waters  at  my  feet : 
Then  He  will  bear  me  safely  over, 
Where  the  loved  ones  I  shall  meet." 


IV 

The  History  of  Joseph 

(  Chapters  xxxvii.  -I. ) 

WE  have  already  seen  that  the  visions  of  God 
granted  to  Abraham  were  for  Revelation  ;  those 
to  Isaac  for  Gorrohoration ;  those  to  Jacob  for 
Restraint  The  visions  accorded  Joseph  were  for  the  pur- 
pose of  Preservation  (xlv.  6-8  ;  Psalm  cv.  17-23).  The 
dream  of  the  wheat  sheaves  indicates  Joseph's  relation  to 
the  preservation  of  his  race. 

The  Purpose  of  Joseph's  History.  A  close  reading 
of  the  section  of  Genesis  devoted  to  the  history  of  Joseph 
reveals  a  threefold  purpose  in  God's  dealings  with  this 
wonderful  character ;  that  is  to  say,  we  have  set  before 
us  in  these  chapters  in  a  threefold  way  the  purpose  for 
which  Joseph's  history  is  introduced  :  To  show  how  God 
fulfilled  His  promises  to  Abraham  ;  for  the  preservation 
of  the  chosen  race ;  and  for  the  training  of  the  chosen 
race. 

1.     To  show  how  God  fulfilled  His  promises  to  Abraham. 

First.  The  promise  of  an  innumerable  seed  (13-16). 
Almost  two  hundred  years  had  elapsed  since  this  prom- 
ise was  made  to  Abraham,  and  yet,  so  far,  all  the  male 
population  of  the  chosen  race  could  be  put  in  one  dwell- 
ing tent.  During  all  the  years  of  the  sojourn  of  the  pa- 
triarchs, the  chosen  race  had  been  kept  but  few  in  num- 
ber, probably  in  order  that  the  inhabitants  of  the  laud 
might  permit  them  to  dwell  there  unmolested.  So  long 
as  they  were  few  they  were  looked  upon  as  harmless. 

107 


io8  The  Book  of  Genesis 

Had  the  chosen  people  increased  in  number,  the  inhabit- 
ants of  the  land  would  have  feared  war,  and  probably 
their  own  destruction,  just  as  Pharaoh  and  the  Egyptians 
did  (Exodus  i.)- 

Second.  To  set  before  us  the  fulfillment  of  the  prom- 
ise to  Abraham  regarding  a  period  of  bondage  for  his 
seed  (xv.  13).  God  would  train  these  patriarchs,  and 
the  record  of  His  training  He  would  have  them  pass 
down  in  valuable  tradition  to  provide  lessons  in  divine 
guidance,  which,  in  all  the  centuries  thereafter,  would 
serve  as  object  lessons  (1  Corinthians  x.  11). 

This  bitter  and  hard  experience  was  a  part  of  God's 
training  of  His,  chosen  people.  The  deliverance  from 
this  condition  of  bondage  is  set  forth  as  a  standard  by 
which  the  power  of  Israel's  God  is  to  be  measured.  Con- 
sequently, we  observe  again  and  again,  in  the  Old  Testa- 
ment, the  expression,  ' '  According  to  the  power  with 
which  I  delivered  you  out  of  Egypt. "  It  is  interesting 
to  note  that  while  the  deliverance  from  Egypt  is  the 
standard  by  which  we  are  to  measure  God's  power  in 
Old  Testament  times,  the  New  Testament  standard  of 
God's  power  is  the  resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ  from  the 
dead  :  Ephesians  i.  19,  20 — "And  what  is  the  exceeding 
greatness  of  his  power  to  usward  who  believe,  according 
to  the  working  of  his  mighty  power,  which  he  wrought 
in  Christ,  when  he  raised  him  from  the  dead,  and  set  him 
at  his  own  right  hand  in  the  heavenly  places." 

Third.  To  give  His  people  the  possession  of  a  large 
land  in  which  there  would  be  room  to  grow  (xiii,  14-17). 
So  far,  the  only  land  that  the  patriarchs  possessed  was  a 
burial  lot.  They  were  hardly  strong  enough  to  hold  any 
more,  nor  would  it  have  been  safe  for  them  to  do  so.  In 
order,  therefore,  that  they  may  have  room  enough  to 
grow,  God  gives  them  a  place  in  Goshen,  a  place  separated 
from  the  Egyptians,   in  order  that  they  may  have  un- 


The  History  of  Joseph  109 

molested  growth  (xlvi.  34  ;  xlvii.  6).  The  divine  pur- 
pose in  this  was  that  when  they  did  go  back  to  possess 
the  promised  land,  they  would  be  strong  enough  numer- 
ically to  possess  and  hold  it. 

2.     For  the  pfeservation  of  the  chosen  race. 

This  is  the  purpose  of  the  history  of  Joseph  in  Egypt 
as  distinctly  stated  in  the  Word  of  God  itself  (xlv.  5-8  ; 
xlvi.  34  ;  Psalm  w.  17-23).  How  little  the  brethren  of 
Joseph  knew,  when  they  sold  their  brother,  that  they 
were  carrying  out  the  puriDose  of  God.  They  meant  it 
for  evil,  but  God  meant  it  for  good.  Psalm  cv.  makes 
very  distinct  and  clear  reference  to  the  purpose  of  Joseph 
in  the  land  of  Egypt.  ''  He  sent  a  man  before  them,  even 
Joseph,  who  was  sold  for  a  servant :  Whose  feet  they 
hurt  with  fetters :  he  was  laid  in  iron  :  Until  the  time 
that  his  word  came  :  the  word  of  the  Lord  tried  him. 
The  king  sent  and  loosed  him ;  even  the  ruler  of  the 
people,  and  let  him  go  free.  He  made  him  lord  of  his 
house,  and  ruler  of  all  his  substance  :  To  bind  his  princes 
at  his  pleasure  ;  and  teach  his  senators  wisdom.  Israel 
also  came  into  Egypt ;  and  Jacob  sojourned  in  the  land 
of  Ham  "  (Psalm  cv.  17-23). 

8.     For  the  traininff  of  the  chosen  people. 

God's  purpose  in  the  selection  of  the  chosen  race  was 
that  they  might  be  the  channels  through  which  the 
knowledge  of  the  true  God  might  flow  to  the  race.  It 
was  necessary,  therefore,  to  train  these  chosen  people  in 
arts,  science,  and  literature,  such  as  would  fit  them  for 
this  great  and  divine  work.  Such  a  training  they  could 
not  receive  had  they  remained  in  Canaan.  Egypt  was 
the  center  of  culture  and  civilization  at  that  time.  Zoar, 
the  leading  city  of  Egypt,  was  particularly  noted  for  its 
wisdom  ;  it  possessed  a  university  of  learning  (cf.  Isaiah 
xix.  11-13).  The  discovery  of  the  code  of  Hammurabi 
shows  us  to  what  an  advanced  state  of  culture  and  civil  iza- 


1  lo  The  Book  of  Genesis 

tiou  these  people  had  attained.  The  stay  in  Egypt  fitted 
Moses,  who  was  learned  in  all  the  wisdom  of  the  Egyptians, 
for  his  future  work  as  lawgiver  and  leader  of  God's  chosen 
people. 

The  Divisions  of  JosepWs  History.  Joseph  is  one  of 
the  three  men  who  were  chosen  vessels  of  God  in  con- 
nection with  Israel's  history.  The  other  two  were  Moses 
and  Paul.  Joseph's  history  may  be  summed  up  under 
three  main  divisions  :  The  chosen  vessel  in  preparation 
(xxxvii.-xli.  36)  ;  the  chosen  vessel  in  service  (xli.  37-1. 
21)  ;  the  dissolution  of  the  chosen  vessel  (1.  20-26).  Let 
us  now  look  at  these  divisions  somewhat  in  detail : 

I.  The  Chosen  Vessel  in  Preparation  (xxxvii.-xli. 
36).  Under  this  main  division  we  have  three  general 
thoughts  :  Joseph  as  a  sou  (xxxvii.)  ;  as  a  slave  (xxxix. 
1-20) ;  as  a  prisoner  (xxxix.  21-xli.  36). 

First.  Joseph  as  a  son  (chap,  xxxvii.).  Joseph  was 
the  favourite  son  of  Jacob.  The  partiality  of  the  old 
man  for  the  child  of  his  old  age  is  shown  by  providing 
him  with  a  coat  of  many  colours.  It  was  this  partiality 
that  aroused  the  envy  and  hatred  of  his  brethren.  Isaac 
and  Eebekah  had  fallen  into  the  same  mistake  of  show- 
ing partiality  between  their  children,  Jacob  and  Esau. 

Emphasis  is  laid  on  the  fact  that  Joseph  was  a  dreamer. 
It  may  have  been  God's  method  in  those  days,  in  which 
there  was  no  Bible,  to  make  His  will  known  through  the 
medium  of  dreams  (cf.  Job  xxxiii.  14,  15).  To-day,  how- 
ever, the  Word  of  God  is  that  to  which  we  must  refer  to 
know  the  will  of  God  (Isaiah  viii.  19,  20 ;  Jeremiah 
xxiii.  28).  God's  ideal  for  Joseph's  life  was  revealed  in 
a  dream  ;  God's  ideal  for  our  lives  is  revealed  in  the 
Bible. 

Joseph  has  been  called  a  visionary  and  a  dreamer. 
His  dreaming  has  been  ridiculed.     But  after  all,  it  is  a 


The  History  of  Joseph  1 1 1 

great  thing  to  have  high  ideals.  The  man  who  never 
built  a  castle  in  the  air  never  built  one  on  the  ground. 
Joseph  had  a  divine  ideal  which  he  never  doubted 
throughout  all  his  experiences.  So  had  Paul  (cf.  Acts 
xxvi.  ;  Philippians  iii.  12).  So  should  we  (Ephesians 
i.  17-22). 

Joseph  was  hated  of  his  brethren.  They  did  not  believe 
in  any  revelation  that  differed  from  their  own  experience, 
so  Joseph  was  looked  upon  as  a  mad  enthusiast.  His 
brothers  would  not  speak  to  him,  or  if  they  did  speak,  they 
grew  red  in  the  face  with  anger  and  jealousy  (ver.  11). 
They  would  not  exchange  friendly  greetings  with  Joseph. 
There  are  people  to-day  who  refuse  to  acknowledge  as 
genuine  any  experience  that  is  different  from  theirs,  and 
grow  angry  when  you  speak  to  them  about  it  (cf.  Job 
iv.  12-16). 

Joseph  is  sold  into  Egypt,  as  Christ  was  sold  by  Judas, 
for  a  price.  Jacob  was  deceived  by  the  blood  of  the  goat, 
just  as  he  himself  had  deceived  Isaac,  his  father,  by  the 
skin  of  a  goat  (chap,  xxvii.). 

Second.  Joseph  as  a  slave  (xxxix.  1-20).  Even  as  a 
slave,  Joseph  was  faithful  to  the  purposes  of  God  as  he 
knew  them,  and  for  this  reason,  ''God  was  with  him." 
There  seems  to  be  no  implied  contradiction  between  the 
dignity  of  a  chosen  vessel  of  God  and  the  most  menial 
service.  So  was  it  in  the  case  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
who  took  upon  Him  the  form  of  a  servant  (John  xiii.  1-16  ; 
Philippians  ii.  5-8). 

Our  attention  is  drawn  in  this  chapter  to  Joseph's  great 
temptation.  Although  it  was  the  result  of  the  wicked- 
ness of  an  evil  woman,  God  used  it  to  the  blessing  of 
Joseph.  "  The  word  of  the  Lord  tried  him  "  (Psalm  cv. 
19).  It  is  not  easy  to  be  the  hero  of  a  story.  There  can 
be  no  sunshine  without  shadow.  No  man  is  exempt  from 
temptation.     Satan  is  always  on  God's  ground  ready  to 


V 


1 1 2  The  Book  of  Genesis 

tempt  the  finest  of  God's  people.  Indeed,  the  more 
saintly  one  is,  the  more  keenly  he  will  be  tempted. 

Undoubtedly  Joseph  would  have  gained  much  temporal 
advantage  had  he  yielded  to  this  temptation.  He  was  a 
slave.  Here  was  a  chanee  to  be  raised  up  to  the  throne. 
We  must  remember,  too,  in  this  connection  that  Joseph 
had  dreamed  of  such  exaltation,  and  that  he  believed  in 
dreams.  Was  this  the  way  in  which  his  dream  would  be 
fulfilled  ?  Was  this  a  short  cut  to  the  throne  ?  Was  it 
right  to  do  evil  that  good  might  come  from  it  ?  This  was 
his  temptation.  Compare  Matthew  iv.  8-10  ;  1  John  ii. 
15,  17 — our  Lord's  temptation  to  gain  His  kingdom  by 
short  and  easy  methods,  and  our  own  temptation  along 
similar  lines. 

The  secret  of  Joseph's  victory  lay  in  his  implicit  faith 
in  God  (Psalm  li.  4),  his  respect  for  his  master  (xxxix.  8), 
and  for  the  marriage  tie  (xxxix.  9).  Joseph  did  not  play 
or  dally  with  temptation  ;  he  fled  from  it  (vers.  12,  13). 
So  should  we  avoid  temptation,  pass  it  by,  flee  from  it. 
No  moral  or  spiritual  good  can  come  from  these  tours  of 
investigation  into  the  ''redlight  districts  "  of  our  cities. 
Dinah,  we  are  told,  went  out  to  see  the  daughters  of  the 
land  ;  that  is  to  say,  to  make  a  tour  of  investigation  ;  and 
we  know  the  results — how  deplorably  she  fell  into  im- 
morality (Genesis  xxxiv.  Iff.). 

The  result  of  Joseph's  victory  over  this  severe  tempta- 
tion was  that  he  was  falsely  accused.  This  false  accusa- 
tion Joseph  did  not  reply  to.  To  have  done  so  would 
have  been  to  incriminate  others.  This  Joseph  was  not 
willing  to  do.  He  committed  his  case  unto  God,  being 
assured  that  God  would  care  for  him.  ' '  Servants,  be 
subject  to  your  masters  with  all  fear  ;  not  only  to  the 
good  and  gentle,  but  also  to  the  froward.  For  this  is 
thankworthy,  if  a  man  for  conscience  towards  God  endure 
grief,  suffering  wrongfully.     For  what  glory  is  it,  if,  when 


The  History  of  Joseph  113 

ye  be  buffeted  for  your  faults,  ye  shall  take  it  patiently  ? 
but  if,  when  ye  do  well,  and  suffer  for  it,  ye  take  it  pa- 
tiently, this  is  acceptable  with  God.  For  even  hereunto 
were  ye  called  :  because  Christ  also  suffered  for  us,  leaving 
us  an  example,  that  ye  should  follow  his  steps  :  Who  did 
no  sin,  neither  was  guile  found  in  his  mouth  :  Who,  when 
he  was  reviled,  reviled  not  again  ;  when  he  suffered,  he 
threatened  not;  but  committed  himself  to  him  that 
judgeth  righteously  "  (1  Peter  ii.  18-23), 

Joseph  took  care  of  his  character,  and  committed 
his  reputation  to  God.  Some  men  lose  their  character 
in  seeking  to  care  for  their  reputation.  We  recall 
in  this  connection  the  story  of  a  leading  Christian 
worker  who  was  wrongly  accused,  but  nevertheless  main- 
tained silence,  because  any  defense  from  him  would  in- 
criminate others.  He  preferred  to  suffer  innocently  and 
in  silence,  trusting  that  God  would  undertake  his  defense, 
inasmuch  as  in  the  very  nature  of  the  case  his  own  de- 
fense would  incriminate  others.  In  a  very  few  years  all 
his  accusers  were  brought  to  shame.  The  leading  con- 
spirator confessed  on  his  dying  bed  ;  the  second  fled  the 
country  ;  a  third,  fourth,  and  fifth  wrote  asking  forgive- 
ness ;  and  the  very  papers  that  had  published  his  shame 
now  published  his  vindication. 

Third.  Joseph  as  a  prisoner  (xxxix.  21-xli.  36). 
Joseph  is  now  suffering  for  righteousness'  sake,  and  yet 
there  is  no  complaint,  defense,  or  incrimination  on  his 
part.  He  knows  he  is  in  the  path  of  God,  and  that  what- 
ever comes  to  him  in  that  path  will  work  for  his  good. 
He  can  safely  leave  the  issue  with  God.  This  is  true  meek- 
ness. Meekness  is  the  consciousness  that  one's  life  is  sur- 
rounded by  God  as  an  environment,  and  that  nothing  can 
come  into  that  life  until  it  has  first  pierced  that  environ- 
ment, and  by  so  doing  has  become  the  will  of  God  for 
that  life.     Whatever  experience,  then,  such  a  life  is  called 


114  '^^^  Book  of  Genesis 

upon  to  pass  through  is  recognized  as  of  God,  and  the 
trusting  soul  says,  "Be  it  unto  me  even  as  thou  wilt. " 
This  is  true  meekness. 

Joseph  had  confidence  in  God's  providential  leadings 
and  dealings ;  he  could  wait  God's  time.  No  doubt 
Joseph  was  tempted  to  think  that  the  ideal  of  his  dreams 
was  thwarted.  There  was  no  sign  to  indicate  God's 
favour.  Nevertheless,  Joseph  believed  in  God  and  in  the 
purpose  of  his  life  (xl.  14).  Indeed,  Joseph  is  dreaming 
again,  even  though  in  jail.  He  is  not  making  light  of 
the  visions  and  dreams  of  youth.  He  is  standing  by  the 
faith  of  his  early  days.  If  the  vision  tarries,  he  has  de- 
termined to  wait  for  it.  We  are  living  in  days  when  we 
are  tempted  to  forsake  the  traditions  of  our  youth  and  the 
faith  once  for  all  delivered  unto  the  saints.  Let  us  be 
careful  lest  we  fall  from  our  true  standard  of  faith  in 
God. 

Joseph  was  rewarded  for  his  victory  over  this  tempta- 
tion. The  reward  of  Joseph  is  seen  in  the  fact  that,  in- 
stead of  Eeuben  or  Judah,  who  were  probably  entitled  to 
the  place  of  honour,  he  occupies  a  place  in  the  book  of 
Genesis  with  the  patriarchs  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob. 
Eeuben  (Genesis  xxxv,  22 ;  xlix.  4)  and  Judah  (xxxviii. 
15-26)  had  failed  to  resist  a  similar  sin  to  this  with  which 
Joseph  had  been  tempted,  and  which  he  so  nobly  over- 
came. Consequently,  Joseph,  the  younger,  is  given  the 
place  of  the  elder.  "Now  the  sons  of  Eeuben,  the 
first-born  of  Israel  (for  he  was  the  first-born  ;  but,  foras- 
much as  he  defiled  his  father's  bed,  his  birthright  was 
given  unto  the  sons  of  Joseph  the  son  of  Israel  ;  and  the 
genealogy  is  not  to  be  reckoned  after  the  birthright.  For 
Judah  prevailed  above  his  brethren,  and  of  him  came  the 
chief  ruler  ;  but  the  birthright  was  Joseph's)"  (1  Chron- 
icles V.  1-2).  It  may  have  seemed  to  us,  as  we  read  of 
the  sin  of  Eeuben  and  Judah  and  noted  the  absence  of  the 


The  History  of  Joseph  1 15 

diviue  disapproval  or  punishment  for  such  sins,  that  God 
had  overlooked  them.  Here,  however,  in  the  choice  of 
Joseph,  we  see  that  no  sin  is  overlooked  by  God,  and 
that  every  act  of  obedience  and  faithfulness  is  rewarded. 

2.  The  Chosen  Vessel  in  Service  (xli.  37-1.  21). 
Under  this  division  we  consider  Joseph  and  Pharaoh ; 
Joseph  and  the  Egyptians  ;  Joseph  and  his  brethren ; 
Joseph  and  his  father. 

First.  Joseph  and  Pharaoh  (xli.  37-57).  The  time  for 
God  to  exalt  Joseph  has  now  come.  The  fulfillment  of 
Joseph's  vision  had  been  delayed,  but  not  forgotten.  It 
had  tarried,  but  he  had  waited  for  it  (Habakkuk  ii.  3). 
One  hour  Joseph  is  a  slave  ;  the  next,  a  prince.  Instead 
of  chains,  he  is  given  a  scepter.  From  the  dungeon,  he 
is  raised  to  the  throne.  No  obstacle  can  stand  in  the  way 
of  God's  promises  to  hinder  their  fulfillment  when  God 
determines  to  move.  The  change  was  instant.  There  is 
no  tedious  progression  when  God  begins  to  work  ;  ''  None 
can  stay  His  hand  "  (Daniel  iv.  35).  God  can  cast  a  king 
down  from  a  throne  to  be  a  beast  of  the  field  in  one  mo- 
ment (Daniel  iv.  28-37)  ;  or  He  can  lift  the  poor  from  the 
dung-hill  and  set  him  among  princes  (1  Samuel  ii.  8). 

Before  honour  is  humility.  Joseph  did  not  think  of 
himself  as  in  line  for  the  position  which  he  suggested  to 
Pharaoh  should  be  filled.  Apparently  he  did  not  think 
that  a  man  like  himself,  a  slave  and  a  Jew,  was  eligible 
for  so  responsible  and  dignified  a  place.  His  suggestion 
to  "set  a  man  "  (vers.  33,  34)  over  these  matters  was  no 
hint  that  he  wanted  the  position.  In  his  humility  he 
never  thought  of  himself.  Even  in  connection  with  the 
interpretation  of  the  dream  he  said,  "The  root  of  the 
matter  is  not  in  me  ;  God  shall  give  Pharaoh  an  answer 
of  peace  "  (xli.  16).  So  is  it  always  that  influence  belongs, 
in  the  long  run,  to  those  who  rid  their  minds  of  all  private 


1 16  The  Book  of  Genesis 

aims,  and  come  close  to  the  great  center  in  which  all  the 
race  meets.  Men  feel  themselves  safe  with  the  unselfish, 
with  persons  in  whom  they  meet  principle,  justice,  truth, 
love,  God. 

Before  honour  is  humility  (xli.  16  ;  John  xii.  26  ;  Phi- 
lippians  ii.  5-11).  God  is  the  source  of  promotion  (xli. 
38  ;  Psalm  Ixxv.  6  ;  Daniel  iv.  25). 

In  this  connection  Joseph's  marriage  is  narrated.  Did 
he  do  right  in  marrying  into  this  society  (cf.  Exodus  ii. 
10,  21  ;  Genesis  xxvi.  1-5  with  xlvi.  5)  1  If  wrong,  was 
it  overruled  for  good  1 

Second.  Joseph  and  the  Egyptians  (xli.  46-57  ;  xlvii. 
13-31).  The  famine  which  came  upon  Egypt  at  this  time 
and  as  foretold  by  Joseph  in  the  interpretation  of  Pharaoh's 
dream  was  by  no  means  accidental.  It  was  raised  up  by 
God  (Psalm  cv.  16),  and,  seemingly,  that  Joseph  might  be 
known  as  the  saviour  of  Egypt  (xlvii.  25).  God  not  only 
raised  up  the  man  for  the  hour,  but  also  the  hour  for  the 
man. 

Note  that  God  prepared  the  man  first,  then  the  occa- 
sion. This  is  God's  method  of  working.  This  is  what 
He  has  done  in  all  the  great  revivals  of  religion  in  the 
past.  We  hear  people  say  that  such  revivals  are  not 
possible  nowadays,  for  conditions  are  not  such  as  they 
were  in  Moody's,  Finney's,  or  Whitefield's  day ;  that 
times  have  changed.  No,  the  times  have  not  changed, 
bat  there  is  a  lack  of  men  for  the  hour.  The  history  of 
every  great  religious  movement  is  the  history  of  one 
man  fally  given  up  to  God :  Lutheranism,  Luther ; 
Methodism,  .Wesley  ;  Presbyterianism,  Calvin;  Dowie- 
ism,  Dowie ;  Christian  Science,  Mrs.  Eddy ;  Millennial 
Dawnism,  Eussell. 

'•Through  faith"  we  understand  how  the  ages  (or 
dispensations)  were  framed  (Hebrews  xi.  3).  The  age  in 
which  Noah  lived  was  of  the  nature  it  was,  religiously, 


The  History  of  Joseph  1 1 7 

because  of  the  relation  which  Noah  sustained  to  God  : 
"By  faith  Noah"  framed  the  age  in  which  he  lived. 
''By  faith  Abraham"  moulded  the  age  in  which  he 
lived.     Thus  it  has  ever  been  from  that  day  to  this. 

Joseph's  name  is  changed  in  this  connection,  the 
Egyptian  name  signifying  abundance  of  life  (cf.  John 
X.  9).  In  Joseph  seemed  to  rest  the  salvation  of  the 
world.  The  food  of  life  was  in  his  hands.  In  these  re- 
spects there  is  a  striking  likeness  between  Joseph  and 
Christ  (cf.  Acts  iv.  12  ;  John  vi.  48-58). 

The  wisdom  of  Pharaoh's  choice  is  seen  in  the  skill  of 
Joseph.  When  God  appoints  a  man  for  a  certain  of&ce, 
that  appointment  is  a  guarantee  of  divine  fitness.  If  to- 
day God  puts  His  hand  upon  a  man  and  sets  him  apart 
for  the  ministry  of  the  gospel,  to  be  a  preacher  or  an 
evangelist,  He  will  convey,  with  that  call,  the  gift  to 
preach.  If  a  man  has  no  gift  to  preach,  he  has  no  call 
to  preach.  Of  course,  it  will  be  necessary  for  him  to 
prepare  himself  and  thus  stir  up  the  gift  that  is  in  him. 

Joseph  was  a  twofold  blessing  :  first  to  the  chosen  race, 
and  consequently  to  the  world.  This  is  the  blessing  of 
Jacob,  the  blessing  which  reaches  out  beyond  itself, 
and  blesses  others. 

Third.  Joseph  and  His  Brethren  (xlii.  1-45,  28 ;  1. 
15-21;  cf  also  chap,  xxviii.).  Here  we  have  another 
phase  of  the  vision  of  Joseph's  youth  fulfilled.  In  this 
picture  of  his  brethren  doing  obeisance  to  him,  we  have 
the  fulfillment  of  his  vision  of  the  sheaves  bowing  down 
to  his  sheaf. 

We  shall  not  understand  Joseph's  treatment  of  his 
brethren  unless  we  clearly  see  the  purpose  of  the  method 
pursued  by  him.  The  end  Joseph  had  in  view  was  to 
produce  conviction  of  sin  in  the  hearts  of  his  brethren. 
He  would  have  them  realize  the  awfulness  of  the  sin 
which   they  had  committed.     Four  steps  may  be  men- 


1 1 8  The  Book  of  Genesis 

tioned  in  his  treatment  of  his  brethren :  first,  he  spake 
roughly  to  them  (xlii.  7,  cf.  xxxvii.  4)  ;  second,  he  put 
them  in  prison  (xlii.  17,  cf.  xxxvii.  24)  ;  third,  he  put 
their  money  into  their  sacks  (xlii.  25,  cf.  xxxvii.  28) ; 
fourth,  he  put  the  cup  in  the  sack  of  the  youngest,  prob- 
ably to  see  if  they  cared  still  for  youth,  or  would  treat 
him  as  they  had  Joseph  (xliv.  2). 

Joseph's  method  of  treatment  brought  about  the  de- 
sired results  (xlii.  21-22  ;  xliv.  16).  The  consciences  of 
his  brethren  began  to  work.  The  natural  elements  of  ret- 
ribution are  set  forth  in  the  words  of  verses  21,  22 — 
''And  they  said  one  to  another,  We  are  verily  guilty 
concerning  our  brother,  in  that  we  saw  the  anguish  of 
his  soul,  when  he  besought  us,  and  we  would  not  hear  ; 
therefore  is  this  distress  come  upon  us.  And  Eeuben 
answered  them,  saying,  Spoke  I  not  unto  you,  saying. 
Do  not  sin  against  the  child ;  and  ye  would  not  hear  1 
therefore,  behold,  also  his  blood  is  required. "  There  is 
no  human  accuser  here — "They  said  among  themselves 
[or  one  to  another]  "  (xlii.  21). 

In  this  connection  let  us  notice  the  factors  within  us 
that  make  up  natural  retribution  as  set  forth  in  xlii. 
21,  22;  first,  memory — "We  saw  the  anguish"  (this 
happened  twenty  years  before)  ;  second,  imagination — 
"  When  he  besought  us,  and  we  would  not  hear"  ;  third, 
conscience — "We  are  verily  guilty  concerning  our 
brother";  fourth,  reason — "Therefore  is  this  distress 
come  upon  us"  ;  fifth,  remorse — which  means  a  biting 
back  like  a  serpent  stinging  its  own  tail,  the  soul  is  re- 
coiling on  itself.  Every  sinner  carries  within  himself 
enough  material  to  build  a  hell  if  there  were  none  in 
God's  plan.  Some  one  has  well  said  that  "every  man 
carries  his  own  brimstone."  With  a  memory — to  recall 
the  past ;  with  an  imagination — to  portray  the  scene 
of  sin  ;  with  a  conscience — to  accuse  of  the  guilt ;  with 


The  History  of  Joseph  1 19 

a  reason — to  justify  the  penalty  ;  hell  were  impossible  to 
escape  by  any  sinner  who  goes  into  eternity  uuforgiven, 
unreconciled,  and  uncleansed. 

We  have  here  a  wonderful  lesson  in  forgiveness  (xlv. 
1-16).  Study  it  carefully.  It  is  a  lesson  we  need  to 
learn  to-day.  How  full,  free,  and  gracious  was  Joseph's 
forgiveness  !  If  he  had  not  forgotten  the  wrong  that  had 
been  done  him,  he  remembered  it  only  to  forgive  it. 
Compare  Ephesians  iv.  26,  27 ;  Matthew  v.  23,  2i  5  vi. 
13,  14 ;  xviii.  21-35. 

How  keenly  Joseph's  brethren  felt  the  wrong  they  had 
done  their  brother,  and  how  deeply  they  wept  over  it ! 
So  shall  the  Jewish  people  weep  when  they  see  the  Christ 
whom  they  have  rejected  and  crucified  (Zechariah  xii. 
10  ;  Revelation  i.  8). 

Fourth.  Joseph  and  His  Father  (xlvi.  1-1.  14).  Jacob, 
after  diligently  inquiring  of  God,  and  being  assured 
of  God's  will  in  the  matter,  takes  his  journey  down 
to  Egypt.  As  we  have  already  seen  in  the  study  of 
Jacob's  history,  the  patriarch  was  afraid  to  go  down 
into  Egypt  unless  assured  by  God  that  it  was  the  right 
thing  to  do,  for  Abraham  and  Isaac  had  suffered  because 
of  their  departure  into  Egypt.  He  doubtless  recalled 
the  sad  experiences  his  fathers  had  here  and  also  that 
God  had  forbidden  them  to  go  down  into  that  country 
(xlvi.  2).  Being  assured  now  of  the  divine  will  (James  i v. 
12-17),  he  departs  for  Egypt.  There  is  a  difference  be- 
tween going  to  a  place  of  our  own  will  and  choosing,  and 
that  of  God's  ordaining.  We  should  not  put  ourselves 
into  forbidden  paths,  and  then  expect  God  to  deliver  us. 
If,  however,  we  are  called  to  go  into  the  enemy's  country, 
God  will  protect  us  there. 

Joseph's  reception  of  (xlvi.  28-34)  and  care  for  his 
father  (xlv.  25-28),  and  his  kindly  introduction  of  the 
patriarch  to  Pharaoh  (xlvi.  31-xlvii.  12),  showed  that 


120  The  Book  of  Genesis 

Joseph  was  uot  ashamed  of  his  aged  father.  Some  chil- 
dren are  ashamed  to  take  their  parents  into  company  or 
to  introduce  them  to  people.  Joseph's  provision  for  his 
father  is  beautifully  set  forth  in  xlvi.  31-xlvii.  12.  One 
can  hardly  read  these  verses  without  being  reminded  of 
what  the  apostle  tells  us  in  1  Timothy  v.  8 — "But  if  any 
provide  not  for  his  own,  and  especially  for  those  of  his 
own  house,  he  hath  denied  the  faith,  and  is  worse  than 
an  infidel." 

In  this  connection  we  have  prominence  given  to  the 
blessing  of  Jacob,  which  was  pronounced,  first,  upon 
Joseph's  children  (chap,  xlviii.).  We  should  note  that 
Ephraim  and  Manasseh  not  only  changed  places  in  the 
blessing,  but  took  Joseph's  place  in  the  reception  of  the 
blessing.  Jacob  crossed  his  hands  in  the  bestowal  of  the 
benediction,  thus  showing  that  the  blessing  was  by  grace 
and  not  by  nature.  One  wonders  if  Jacob  meant  to 
teach  the  generations  of  men  that  should  follow  that  nat- 
ural disadvantage  may  be  overcome  by  grace. 

Second,  the  blessing  is  pronounced  upon  the  twelve 
sons  of  Jacob  (chap.  xlix.).  There  are  many  and  won- 
derful lessons  in  this  chapter,  which  we  do  not  have  time 
to  dwell  on,  except  to  note  that  a  man's  sin  enters  into 
his  future  career ;  that  past  sin  may  be  forgiven,  and 
even  forgotten,  yet  it  has  its  blighting  influence  upon  the 
future.  This  is  especially  brought  out  in  verses  three  to 
nine.  Another  lesson  we  learn  from  this  chapter  is  that 
each  man's  sphere,  as  well  as  each  man's  place  on  the 
earth,  is  adapted  to  his  or  its  peculiar  character.  Still 
further  we  are  taught  that,  although  foreappointed  and 
foreknown,  the  destinies  of  men  and  nations  are  fully 
wrought  out  by  themselves. 

The  death  of  Jacob,  which  has  been  mentioned  be- 
fore under  the  history  of  Jacob,  is  referred  to  in  xlix. 
28-1.  14. 


The  History  of  Joseph  121 

3.  The  Dissolution  of  the  Chosen  Vessel  (I.  22-26). 
This  practically  closes  the  patriarchal  dispensation. 
God's  chosen  people  are  still  one  seed,  but  not  any  longer 
one  person.  They  have  now  become  a  great  people,  a 
mighty  nation. 

The  prophetic  and  hopeful  note  is  very  prominent  in 
the  account  of  Joseph's  death.  There  is  apparently  no 
fear  and  no  terror  in  his  departing  to  be  "  gathered  to 
his  fathers."  "The  righteous  hath  hope  in  his  death" 
(Proverbs  xiv.  32).  We  are  reminded  of  the  description 
of  Christ's  death  in  connection  with  the  departure  of 
Joseph  :  "Therefore  my  heart  is  glad,  and  my  glory  re- 
joiceth  :  my  flesh  also  shall  rest  (or  pitch  her  tabernacle) 
in  hope  "  (Psalm  xvi.  9). 

Likeness  Between  Joseph  and  Christ.  Some  claim 
Joseph  to  be  a  type  of  Christ.  A  safe  rule  to  follow  in 
typography  is  as  follows  :  Make  no  character,  institu- 
tion, or  event  of  the  Old  Testament  a  type  which  the 
New  Testament  does  not  affirm  to  be  such.  As  illustra- 
tions, compare  Melchizedek  (chap,  xiv.)  with  Hebrews 
V.  ;  Adam  (1  Corinthians  xv.  22)  ;  Jacob's  ladder  (Gen- 
esis xxviii.  ;  cf.  John  i.  51).  Search  for  other  types  in 
Genesis  and  corroborate  them  by  the  New  Testament 
teaching. 

Points   of  Similarity  Between  Joseph  and  Christ. 

(1)  Beloved  of  his  father  (xxxvii.  3,  cf.  Matthew  iii.  17). 

(2)  Hated  by  his  brethren  (xxxvii.  4-11,  cf.  John  vii. 
1-7  and  Mark  xv.  10).  (3)  Interpreter  of  the  will  of 
God  (xxxvii.  5-11,  cf.  John  i.  18  and  Matthew  xi. 
25-27),  (4)  Sent  to  minister  to  his  brethren  (xxxvii. 
13,  cf.  Matthew  xx.  28  and  John  i.  11).  (5)  Plan  to 
kill  Joseph  (xxxvii.  19,  20,  cf.  Matthew  xxi.  38). 
(6)  Sold  (xxxvii.  28,  cf.  Matthew  xxvi.  14,  15).    (7)  In- 


122  The  Book  of  Genesis 

nocently  condemned,  imprisoned  with  two  malefactors 
(chap,  xl.,  cf.  Luke  xxiii.).  (8)  Exalted  by  the  hand  of 
God  (chap,  xli.,  cf.  Acts  ii.  32-36). 

Prophecies  of  Christ  in  Genesis  with  New  Testa- 
ment Fulfillment.  How  many?  Look  them  up  and 
mark  them  in  your  Bible.  Illustrations  :  The  promised 
Saviour  is  to  be  (1)  Of  the  seed  of  the  woman  (iii.  15,  cf. 
Eomans  xvi.  20  ;  Galatians  iv.  4).  (2)  Of  the  seed  of 
Abraham  (xii.  3  ;  xxii.  18  ;  xxvi.  4  ;  xxviii.  14,  cf.  Mat- 
thew i.  1 ;  Luke  i.  54,  55 ;  Acts  iii.  25  ;  Eomans  iv.  13  ; 
Galatians  iii.  8).  (3)  Of  the  seed  of  Isaac  (xvii.  19  ; 
xxvi.  2-5,  cf.  Eomans  ix.  6-8  ;  Hebrews  xi.  18).  (4)  Of 
the  tribe  of  Judah  (xlix.  10,  cf.  Matthew  i.  2). 

The  Types  of  Genesis.  "  A  type  is  a  divinely  pur- 
posed illustration  of  some  truth.  It  may  be :  (1)  a  per- 
son (Eomans  v.  14)  ;  (2)  an  event  (1  Corinthians  x.  11)  ; 
(3)  a  thing  (Hebrews  x.  20) ;  (4)  an  institution  (He- 
brews ix.  11)  ;  (5)  a  ceremonial  (1  Corinthians  v.  7)." — 
Schofield. 

There  is  need  of  great  care  in  the  study  of  the  types  of 
the  Bible  (see  note). 

The  following  have  been  looked  upon  as  having  typical 
significance  : 

1.  The  ''greater  light"  (i.  16,  cf.  Malachi  iv.  2— 
**  the  Sun  of  righteousness  ")• 

2.  Adam  (ii.  19,  cf.  Eomans  v.  14  ;  1  Corinthians 
XV.  21,  22,  45-47)  a  type  of  Christ. 

3.  Eve  (ii.  23,  24,  cf.  2  Corinthians  xi.  2 ;  Ephesians 
V.  25,  32  ;  Eevelation  xix.  7,  8)  a  type  of  the  Church. 

4.  Coats  of  skins  (iii.  21,  cf.  Eevelation  xix.  8).  Some 
see  in  this  clothing  a  picture  of  the  righteousness  of 
Christ,  obtained  for  His  saints  by  His  sacrificial  death. 

5.  Abel's  lamb  (iv.  4)  as  contrasted  with  Cain's  blood- 


The  History  of  Joseph  123 

less  offering  has  been  thought  to  resemble  or  point  to 
Jesus'  death  as  the  Lamb  of  God  (John  i.  29,  cf.  Hebrews 
ix.  22  ;  xi.  4). 

6.  Enoch  (v.  24)  translated  a  type  of  those  who  shall 
be  translated  at  the  coming  of  the  Lord  (cf.  Hebrews 
xi.  5  ;  1  Thessaloniaus  iv.  14-17  ;  Eevelation  iii.  10). 

7.  The  flood  (chap,  vii.)  a  type  of  the  end  of  the  age 
(cf.  2  Peter  v.  4-12  ;  Matthew  xxiv.  37-39). 

8.  Melchizedek  (xiv.  18)  a  type  of  Christ  as  the  Great 
High  Priest  (Hebrews  vi.  20 ;  vii.  2,  23,  24). 

9.  Hagar  (chap.  xvi. )  a  type  of  bondage  to  law  (Ga- 
latians  iv.  24,  25). 

10.  Sarah  (chap,  xxi.)  a  type  of  grace,  the  '^  free- 
woman  ' '  and  the  heavenly  Jerusalem  (Galatians  i v. 
22-31). 

11.  Isaac  (chaps,  xxi.-xxv.),  of  the  spiritual  children 
of  Abraham  (Galatians  iv.  28)  ;  of  Christ  as  offering 
Himself  freely  to  death  (Genesis  xxii.  1-10,  cf.  Philip- 
pians  ii.  5-8)  ;  in  his  marriage,  as  being  united  with  a 
Gentile  bride  (Genesis  xxiv.,  cf.  Ephesians  iii.)  ;  as  the 
promised  seed  in  whom  resided  the  blessings  of  the 
nations  (Genesis  xii.  3,  cf.  Galatians  iii.  16). 


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o 


Date  Due 


I 


BS1235.E92 

The  book  of  Genesis, 

Princeton  Theological  Seminary-Speer  Library 


1    1012  00012  2038 


